Bending the Third Rail
Because We Should, We Can, We Do
Monday, April 02, 2007
What Gives?
The Washington Post takes on the heady subject of throwing out the first pitch on baseball's opening day:
Today is Washington's 65th Opening Day since 1910, when William H. Taft gave us a tradition: the ceremonial first pitch by the president. Taft threw the inaugural one for the Senators that year. In the local club's 63 home openers since, a dozen presidents have done the honors 45 times, from front-row seats or from the mound, making them 46 for 64 overall (.719). Pretty reliable.

President Bush kept up the tradition in 2005, celebrating baseball's return to the nation's capital after a 33-season absence. But he missed last year's home opener -- and he'll miss today's, too, when the Nationals host the Florida Marlins at 1:05 p.m. Except for when the world was at war, only two other presidents, Woodrow Wilson and Richard M. Nixon, missed Opening Day ceremonies two years in a row. And Wilson had suffered a stroke.

What gives?
Gee, I wonder?

Last year Bush sent Cheney to do the honors. And he was roundly booed. Wonder who he'll send this year?

Dear leader can't stand the thought that there may be a full round of boos coming from the stands. Wouldn't want anything to burst that bubble he lives in.