Purple debate presidential qualities

Politics in the locker room can be a dividing issue, but a number of players spoke up with their opinions on the latest presidential results. Here is one Vikings voice from each side of the aisle.

The Vikings are a 53-member team, but, within that team there were wildly differing opinions on the results of Tuesday’s election that made Illinois Senator Barack Obama the president elect of the United States.

Ordinarily, a player’s political beliefs are private. He can support or vote for whomever he chooses. But, when you’re a celebrity, people ask your opinion, and both sides of the aisle checked in Wednesday following the election.

Wide receiver Bobby Wade was ecstatic, saying that Obama brings a much-needed change to the political landscape aside from being the first African-American voted into the nation’s top political office.

“He has represented change throughout this election,” Wade said. “There are a lot of people who see him as bringing hope and the promise of a better future to the country. It’s hard not to be energized by the change that is coming.”

But not everyone is on the Obama bandwagon because, if his campaign promise of redistributing wealth by taxing those who make more than $250,000 a year – which includes most in the Vikings locker room – they will pay more than they would have had Arizona Senator John McCain won the presidency. So there wasn’t a unanimous consensus as to whether the better man won.

“It was a sad day for me,” defensive end Jared Allen said. “I’m a McCain supporter. I live in Arizona. There’s nothing I can do about it now. My paychecks will be cut in half. It is what it is. McCain, I still love ya. We still love ya in Arizona. Obama, you better do what you promised because the whole country is watching.”

THURSDAY NOTES

The first injury report of the week had Allen and Robert Ferguson as the only players not participating – Allen with a shoulder and Ferguson listed as a non-football related matter. Tight end Garrett Mills (ankle), LB David Herron (hip) and safety Husain Addullah (neck) were all listed as limited in practice.

No Packers were listed as being out of practice, but three starters – left tackle Chad Clifton (knees), QB Aaron Rodgers (right shoulder) and CB Charles Woodson (toe) – were limited in their practice participation.

Brad Childress raised some ears Wednesday by making a comparison to Bernard Berrian’s chronic big toe problem with TV canine “Lassie.” After whistling part of the theme from the TV show, Childress said, “He still has a little hitch in his get-along. Kind of like Lassie. You know how Lassie used to limp on command with a bad foot? He’s got that going every now and then.”

It was hard to determine whether the analogy was intended to be tongue-in-cheek or if Berrian plays up the injury during rigorous practice periods. As long as he keeps producing the kind of numbers he does on Sunday, most fans won’t care if he walks around like Fred Sanford instead of Lassie.

After releasing him late last week, the Baltimore Ravens re-signed Todd Bouman Wednesday.

Former Viking Daunte Culpepper worked with the first unit offense on his first day of practice Wednesday with the Detroit Lions and might be in line to start vs. Jacksonville on Sunday.