Great Moments in White House Reporting

by
February 11, 2009

Look, I know I’ve been running about 95% A-Rod since Saturday, but it is a baseball story and this is a baseball blog, so at least I’m walking my beat here. For serious mission creep, check out Obama’s press conference on Monday. We’re in the midst of the greatest economic meltdown in living memory. Our government is casually using the word “trillion” when discussing what to do about it. People are suffering. The world is watching. And a reporter from one of the nation’s most important newspapers has a chance to ask our dynamic young president a question about it. Mike Fletcher of the Washington Post: IT’S YOUR MOMENT!

Question: Yes, thank you, sir. What is your reaction to Alex Rodriguez’s admission that he used steroids as a member of the Texas Rangers?

To his credit, President Obama did not say “Oh HELL no,” but I hope to God someone gave Fletcher a wedgie in the locker room after the presser.

(thanks to Ethan Stock for the heads up)


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Rob
15 years ago

At least the new head of the House Committee on Government Oversight and Reform has his head in the right place:

“The American people need leaders who will focus on stemming job losses and getting credit to flow in the marketplace before hearing from yet another person who cheated both himself and the game of baseball,” said House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform chairman Edolphus Towns

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3897311

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Aarcraft
15 years ago

I personally felt the news about the House’s refusal to call another pointless hearing was very sad. Who is going to explain these congressman’s kids and grandkids that they aren’t going to get a A-Rod signed ball to go next to their personalized Roger Clemens ball. We have to think of the kids.

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Sabertooth
15 years ago

So, the WaPo reporter, who was preselected by Obama’s White House, wastes his toady face-time on an A-Rod question, rather than on anything substantive about the biggest spending bill in human history?  No wonder he was pre-selected. 

Farce news agency asks farce question of a farce President.  That’s so awesome.

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Sara K
15 years ago

Yeah, ‘cause that’s what Obama is known for – ducking questions.  Bitter much?

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Chris
15 years ago

The best take on that whole thing came from this blog (and the other post it links):

http://www.welovedc.com/2009/02/11/a-puzzle-for-you/

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Gold Star for Robot Boy
15 years ago

In everyone’s rush to criticize the question (and questioner) for not focusing on More Important Matters, forgotten – or conveniently ignored – is the federal government’s role in baseball’s steroids problem.
The prosecution of Barry Bonds is not due to an out-of-control district attorney; its the U.S. Attorney’s office in SF which has made this a federal case, literally and figuratively.
Also, Obama’s predecessor one used the bully pulpit of no less than the State of the Union Address to decry the presence of steroids in sports.
“To help children make right choices, they need good examples. Athletics play such an important role in our society, but, unfortunately, some in professional sports are not setting much of an example. The use of performance-enhancing drugs like steroids in baseball, football, and other sports is dangerous, and it sends the wrong message—that there are shortcuts to accomplishment, and that performance is more important than character. So tonight I call on team owners, union representatives, coaches, and players to take the lead, to send the right signal, to get tough, and to get rid of steroids now.”

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Mark R
15 years ago

You know, Craig, I was just thinking that A-Rod’s story is more plausible than I first thought. I mean, do you really think the dealer or player who hooked Alex up went around calling the stuff primobolan? I think “####” or “juice” is probably a great deal more likely.

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Ron
15 years ago

This sucks. I’ve got a great story about the White House, but I’m not allowed to tell it because its ‘classified’.

Sure, the government can keep that secret….

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Pete Toms
15 years ago

@ Rob – I noted Towns’ comments also and was surprised.  Guess Congress is tired of grandstanding on this…..or at least Towns is…

@ Mark R – I’ve only seen the first 1/2 of the A Rod interview but I think he was being genuine when he said that he didn’t know exactly what he took.  He mentioned GNC a couple of times and in fairness nobody knows what’s in that crap.  (Thanks to Congress who deregulated the “supplement” industry)  And, you’re right, if he was acquiring juice outside of GNC (which no doubt he was) he like most of them would have no interest in what exactly it was, only that it worked.

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