Is Obama Working on His Fastball?
EmailABC News’ Karen Travers and Sunlen Miller report:
President Obama is a huge basketball fan who gets in a pick-up game whenever he can. But for the next few weeks, he may want to dust off an old baseball glove and start working on his wind-up out on the South Lawn.
The Washington Times reported this weekend that President Obama will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Nationals Stadium on April 13, according to a club source.
The White House will not confirm the appearance. “We have not yet finalized our schedule for the second week of April,” a White House official said.
The Times reported that the Nationals invited the president to throw out the first pitch earlier this spring and he has a standing invitation to do so as long as there is a team in town.
Obama, a Chicago White Sox fan, is in high demand at stadiums this spring. The president was invited by the White Sox to throw out the first pitch before their season opener on April 6 on the South Side. Obama is familiar with the mound at U.S. Cellular field –- he threw out the first pitch during the 2005 playoffs there. He has also reportedly been invited by the Cincinnati Reds to throw out the first pitch at Major League Baseball’s Civil Rights Game on June 20.
Obama’s appearance at Nationals Stadium should give the hometown fans something to cheer about early that day, before the Nats take the field against World Champion Philadelphia Phillies and in front of about 25,000 rabid Philadelphia fans who will travel down I-95 with them.
The Nationals are coming off of a rough 2008, when the team won 59 games and lost 102, and the off-season has not been much kinder, with most notably the resignation of their general manager last week.
This is the Nationals’ fifth season in Washington and if Obama does make an appearance on the mound on Opening Day, it would mark the third time a president has thrown out the first pitch. Former President Bush did the honors in 2005 and 2008.
The tradition of a president throwing out the first pitch goes back to 1910 when President William Taft took the mound for the Washington Senator’s home opener against the Philadelphia Athletics.
Obama’s predecessor may have set the high mark for a perfect ceremonial first pitch. On Oct. 30, 2001, with New York and the nation still reeling from the Sept. 11 attacks, former President Bush took the mound before Game 3 of the World Series between the Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks. Pitching from the rubber, after a conversation with Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter, Bush threw a strike just off the center of the plate and the crowd erupted into chants of “USA, USA!”
Bush, a huge baseball fan and former owner of the Texas Rangers, threw out the first pitch at several stadiums over eight years, including the ceremonial first pitch at the first baseball game in Washington after a 34-year drought.
When he took the mound that year, he was greeted with a smattering of boos from the DC fans. The following year, Vice President Cheney threw out the first pitch at the Nationals’ home opener and there was no mistaking the rain shower of boos from the crowd.
Obama may walk out to the mound to a warmer reception. He won the District of Columbia with 93 percent of the vote against Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, last November.
– Karen Travers and Sunlen Miller
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“We have not yet finalized our schedule for the second week of April,” a White House official said.
By mid-April, Der Leader’s boos might well exceed those accorded Cheney … however He did in DC voting in November.
Posted by: Human Intelligence | March 9, 2009, 11:12 am 11:12 am
Maybe he can eventually get as much as Manny Ramirez just got. Sounds like a good plan.
Posted by: Huh | March 9, 2009, 11:14 am 11:14 am
Obama is not a baseball guy. This could be very ugly.
Posted by: Matt | March 9, 2009, 11:20 am 11:20 am
What? Bush was booed?
I thought Jim Cramer, Rick Santelli, and Rush Limbaugh were the first people to ever be critical of a President.
Posted by: MayBee | March 9, 2009, 11:21 am 11:21 am
Impeach the socialist idiot Obama now.
Posted by: Sluggo | March 9, 2009, 11:39 am 11:39 am
Where will they hide the teleprompters?
Obama takes them everywhere.
Posted by: sammy | March 9, 2009, 12:00 pm 12:00 pm
Good grief! The economy’s tanking, our greatest ally is insulted by a “tired” president “overwhelmed by the economic crisis”, and our media is writing about Obama’s fastball and Michelle’s arms.
Seriously, does anyone wonder why newspapers are failing? These items are related.
Posted by: Robin | March 9, 2009, 12:00 pm 12:00 pm
Oh, by the way, Obama DOES NOT write his speeches. That would be Jon Favreau – see today’s Chicago Tribune for an article about him and how he channels Obama’s brainwaves. Wonder if he can help out with that first pitch….
Posted by: Robin | March 9, 2009, 12:03 pm 12:03 pm
If Obama throws like he bowls the stands will fill with laughter.
If it’s bad somehow Obama will blame Bush, and his supporters will say Obama is saving his real pitch for another time.
The media will say he is just exhausted and hasn’t had any sleep.
I say Obama is simply just a fraud and a wimp.
Posted by: tyler | March 9, 2009, 12:11 pm 12:11 pm
Obama needs no practice. He’s been throwing the American people fastballs for the past two years..
Posted by: Parallax View | March 9, 2009, 12:26 pm 12:26 pm
I wouldn’t count him out..for any avocation.
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | March 9, 2009, 12:46 pm 12:46 pm
This guy has lots of practice throwing fastballs, not at a baseball game but at the American people and our allies.
Remember the DVD’s to England and the statue of Winston Churchill, the Pelosistimulus, and we could go on and on. What a joke..is he ever going to sit behind his desk and do any work?
Posted by: Monekketa | March 9, 2009, 1:13 pm 1:13 pm
Obama is the master of the curve ball.
Posted by: Sigmonde | March 9, 2009, 1:26 pm 1:26 pm
Heard he is practicing running for when they run him out of town for ruining the economy….
Posted by: Will Stanton | March 9, 2009, 1:33 pm 1:33 pm
Soon it will be three strikes (economy, healthcare and energy) and he is out?
Posted by: Sally J | March 9, 2009, 1:35 pm 1:35 pm
I hope he fails.
Posted by: Plumber | March 9, 2009, 1:42 pm 1:42 pm
“Seriously, does anyone wonder why newspapers are failing? These items are related.”
Interesting criticism of an internet blog.
Posted by: Ryan C | March 9, 2009, 1:50 pm 1:50 pm
“According to Rasmussenreports only 16% of the nation strongly disapproved of Barack Hussein Obama on the day of his inauguration. That number has since become 32%, doubling during his first six weeks in office.”
He’s just getting started…
Posted by: Fascist Hyena | March 9, 2009, 1:50 pm 1:50 pm
“The following year, Vice President Cheney threw out the first pitch at the Nationals’ home opener and there was no mistaking the rain shower of boos from the crowd.”
Luckily no one was hit in the face by his pitch.
Posted by: Ryan C | March 9, 2009, 1:51 pm 1:51 pm
“According to Rasmussenreports only 16% of the nation strongly disapproved of Barack Hussein Obama on the day of his inauguration. That number has since become 32%, doubling during his first six weeks in office.”
The rest of the story
The rising negative is driven by Republicans, 58% of who Strongly Disapprove of Obama’s performance. Since Inauguration Day, Republican opposition has doubled.
Oh noes…Obama is not popular among Republicans.
And for other polling
Gallup(daily as of today): 62/25
From late last week:
Fox: 63/26
Newsweek: 58/26
Posted by: Ryan C | March 9, 2009, 2:06 pm 2:06 pm
Who cares what it is driven by – it’s huge.
Oh and why are you comparing the Messiah to Darth Vader? That just seems counterproductive for the left.
Posted by: Plumber | March 9, 2009, 2:15 pm 2:15 pm
“Who cares what it is driven by – it’s huge.”
Its also quite an outlier when you compare it to other polling.
Posted by: Ryan C | March 9, 2009, 2:32 pm 2:32 pm
“Oh and why are you comparing the Messiah to Darth Vader? That just seems counterproductive for the left.”
No comparison.
Just a joke at the expense of “dead eye” Cheney.
Posted by: Ryan C | March 9, 2009, 2:43 pm 2:43 pm
It seems to me the joke is on the Messiah. And it’s one of several.
Oh and Rasmussen’s record is better than any other polling operation so my money is on it.
Posted by: Plumber | March 9, 2009, 3:08 pm 3:08 pm
“Oh and Rasmussen’s record is better than any other polling operation so my money is on it.”
Election polls can be measured by final polling vs result.
And Rasmussen did well in the GE (suffered in the primaries as many firms did).
But how does one measure “approval rating” to verify its accuracy?
Well one way is to measure it against other polling.
Rasmussen’s approval rating for Bush were always higher than other polling outfits and his disapprove numbers are much higher for Obama than any other polling firms.
And he just happens to be FoxNews’s go to polling outfit.
Posted by: Ryan C | March 9, 2009, 3:25 pm 3:25 pm
Rush Limbaugh and his Followers have No Problem Covering or Overting their…
[[EYE LIDS]] from the…
[[Generational Debt]]
Passed Down by George W. Bush Jr…
Dead Silent on these Glaring Numbers !!
————————–
United States Total Debt (Split)
End of fiscal year Intra-Governmental Holdings Debt Held by the Public
1999 2.020 trillion 3.636 trillion
2000 2.269 trillion 3.405 trillion
2001 2.468 trillion 3.339 trillion
George W. Bush Jr.
2002 2.675 trillion 3.553 trillion
2003 2.859 trillion 3.924 trillion
2004 3.072 trillion 4.307 trillion
2005 3.331 trillion 4.601 trillion
2006 3.664 trillion 4.843 trillion
2007 3.958 trillion 5.049 trillion
2008 4.216 trillion 5.809 trillion George W. Bush Jr.
2009* est 5.900 trillion 6.400 trillion
———————–
Bye Now
Posted by: O. | March 9, 2009, 3:35 pm 3:35 pm
Limbaugh and his Followers also Overt their Eyes to the Following….
————–
1. Omitting, Bush’s [[2001 One Trillion Dollar Stimulus Plan]]
2. Omitting, Bush’s Over 6 Year [Debt] to [[Communist-Socialist China]] to the Tune of 20 Billion Per Month, with Interest to [[Communist-Socialist China]] !!
3. Omitting George Bush, allowing China to Continue to buy Up our Debts for the Past [[6 Years]]
4. Omitting Bush allowing Corporate America, to Sell out US factory Workers and Shutting Down Factories, for [[Chinese Labor]] and putting Millions of Americans out of Work, which has had a Crippling Effect on our Nation.
5. Omitting Bush, as he Continued NAFTA and Selling out our Nation’s Workers to Canada, Mexico and Brazil…
As well as India and [[Communist-Socialist Viet Nam]]
Not a Damn [[Sound]] from Rush Limbaugh…
Just the same Ole “Free Trade and Commerce at Work” Rhetoric
And You wonder why Americans are Unemployed Today, Corporate America, Assisted by George W. Bush, Allowed it !!!
Posted by: O. | March 9, 2009, 3:39 pm 3:39 pm
More tingles and thrills for the Obama lovers.
Thousands wearing Obama T-Shirts chanting his name and “Yes We Can”.
Creepy, disturbing and very lame.
I won’t be watching.
Posted by: harry | March 9, 2009, 4:14 pm 4:14 pm
“I won’t be watching.”
I won’t be either but that’s because the Nationals are awful and I dislike all Philly teams.
Posted by: Ryan C | March 9, 2009, 4:51 pm 4:51 pm
Beware those who criticize Obama’s baseball skills–you will likely be called a racist.
I hope his pitch lands at least 20feet from home plate–yes I hope he fails.
Someone as arrogant as Obama needs a good dose of reality now and then.
He’s not as great as he thinks he is.
Posted by: bailey | March 9, 2009, 5:07 pm 5:07 pm
At this point in the Presidencies of Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, and Obama, the approval polls were:
Carter 70%, Reagan 57%, Bush1 65, Clinton 63, Bush2 65%, Obama 62%.
Posted by: Sigmonde | March 9, 2009, 5:45 pm 5:45 pm
At this point in the Presidencies of Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, and Obama, the approval polls were:
Carter 70%, Reagan 57%, Bush1 65, Clinton 63, Bush2 65%, Obama 62%.
Time to update your spam while using comparable numbers, sigmonde.
Gallup
Bush2 (3/9-3/11): 58%
Reagan (mid March 81): 60%
Posted by: Ryan C | March 9, 2009, 7:16 pm 7:16 pm
Carter 70%, Reagan 57%, Bush1 65, Clinton 63, Bush2 65%, Obama 62%.
Posted by: 22 | August 1, 2009, 12:29 am 12:29 am