Anyone tired of Joe Buck and Tim McCarver in the broadcast booth got a bit of a reprieve tonight. President Barack Obama joined them in the booth in the top of the second inning to chat about his recent travels, the All-Star Game, and Washington D.C.'s most pressing current problem -- the Nationals. Obama stopped by in his White Sox jacket, the same jacket he wore when he threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
It was a mildly curious decision because it's standard operating procedure to wear the home team's gear when throwing out the first pitch, but Obama, an avowed Sox fan, wanted to stay true to his hometown team.
"Everybody knows I'm a White Sox fan," Obama told Buck and McCarver, "and my wife thinks I look cute in this jacket, so for those two reasons, why not."
Then, when asked for a prediction about who will wind up winning the World Series, Obama balked, explaining that it was "too early" to make such a prognostication, particularly because of the parity that has now taken hold in the major leagues. (Obama has had quite the year making predictions, correctly picking the Steelers would win the Super Bowl and North Carolina would win the NCAA Tournament.)
"[The parity] means everybody around the country has a little bit of hope for the team, and I may be the exception, the Nationals, who are still young and have a new ballpark" he said, taking a gentle jab at the team that plays a few miles to the south of the White House.
They only came close to talking politics once. Buck asked if there was a bailout in the offing for the National League, which came into Tuesday night's game 0-11-1 in the last 12 All-Star Games.
Unfortunately for the senior circuit, Obama had little to offer.
"No. We're out of money," he responded.
MLB All-Star Game Photos
National League starting pitcher Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants throws a pitch in the first inning against the American League during Major League Baseball's All-Star game in St. Louis, July 14, 2009. REUTERS/Morry Gash/Pool (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL)
Reuters
ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 14: National League All-Star Albert Pujols #5 of the St. Louis Cardinals dives to make a play on a ball during the 2009 MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium on July 14, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Albert Pujols
Getty Images
ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 14: American League All-Star Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees rounds third on his way to scoring during the 2009 MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium on July 14, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Derek Jeter
Getty Images
ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 14: American League All-Stars Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners and Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees look on before the 2009 MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium on July 14, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Morry Gash-Pool/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ichiro Suzuki;Derek Jeter
Getty Images
ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 14: American League All-Star Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees looks on before the 2009 MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium on July 14, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Pool/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mariano Rivera
Getty Images
ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 14: American League All-Star manager Joe Maddon of the Tampa Bay Rays looks on before the 2009 MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium on July 14, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Morry Gash-Pool/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Joe Maddon
Getty Images
ST LOUIS, MO - JULY 14: American League All-Star manager Joe Maddon of the Tampa Bay Rays greets National League All-Star manager Charlie Manuel of the Philadelphia Phillies before the 2009 MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium on July 14, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Morry Gash-Pool/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Charlie Manuel;Joe Maddon
Getty Images
American League starting pitcher Roy Halladay of the Toronto Blue Jays throws a pitch in the first inning against the National League during Major League Baseball's All-Star game in St. Louis, July 14, 2009. REUTERS/Morry Gash/Pool (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL)
Reuters
American League's Michael Young of the Texas Rangers singles during the fourth inning of the MLB All-Star baseball game in St. Louis, Tuesday, July 14, 2009. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)
AP
American League's Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners swings on a pitch during the fifth inning of the MLB All-Star baseball game in St. Louis, Tuesday, July 14, 2009. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)
AP
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-14-2009 @ 10:36PM
dewit202 said...
Yes while we missed the the two run tie action going on on the field, We had to watch the announcers and the President. Sickening.
Reply
7-14-2009 @ 11:18PM
Puck said...
hee, hee, hee..."...my wife thinks I look cute in this jacket...",
sounds more like Bush everyday...how sick...don't you have someone to
murder with one of your mighty drones? oh, I get it, you can
assassinate in the afternoon and throw out the first pitch in the
evening...you da man, you da man...hoo-ah, you da man...(puke).
Reply
7-14-2009 @ 11:31PM
RACENDIRT said...
Good game. Enjoyed seeing Obama. Good throw.
Reply
7-15-2009 @ 9:09AM
bobdunk said...
Threw the baseball like a little girl, soft and almost short. Kinda like his first 7 months in the White House. He's not an athlete. Can't bowl and can't throw a baseball. Oh yeah, he can b-ball it. Must be the "other" half of him taking over on the court, me gueses. LOL
Reply
7-15-2009 @ 1:28PM
obamaizamarxist said...
Obama throws like a bitch. He needed every inch of Pujols's first basemans glove..
Reply