
 |
|
May 22, 2012
Warren Richey: Can US group challenge overseas surveillance act? Supreme Court to decide
Thomas M. Anderson: Walking Away From a Mortgage
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: Enjoy a celebration of the most rich and layered flavors: Black bean, sweet potato and quinoa chili
May 21, 2012
Mark Clayton: Cybersecurity: How US utilities passed up chance to protect their networks
Howard LaFranchi: NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?
Chris Farrell : Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Stephen Whiteside, Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Social anxiety disorder --- or just shy?
Guy Jackson : Victim's father regrets death of Lockerbie bomber
The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: Famed chef's veal shoulder farsumagru: A festive meat course for late spring
May 18, 2012
Rabbi Berel Wein: Striving: The People of the Book's Book for (All of) the People
Steven Goldberg: 5 Great Stock Picks and the Exchange-Traded Fund that Owns Them
Mary Pickett, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Don't be forced into gluten-free lifestyle based merely on a doctor's false-positive test
The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: DIY healthy lunchbox treats: HOMEMADE FRUIT BARS for kids and brown-bagging adults alike
May 17, 2012
Warren Richey: Teacher fired for being unwed and pregnant can sue religious school, court rules
Josh Mitnick: Netanyahu's 'centrist' coalition is already proving it's anything but
Steven Goldberg: Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Amina Khan: Research links coffee to lower death rates
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Duran : Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole with Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
May 16, 2012
Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: A variety of exercises can help improve balance
Melissa Healy: National strategy on Alzheimer's disease aims to halt it by 2025
The Kosher Gourmet by Joyce White : GOODNESS GRACIOUS: GREENS! 4 winning recipes that are no longer just for down-home folks (Includes expert tips & techniques)
May 15, 2012
Kristen Chick: Obama administration resumes arms sales to Bahrain despite serious unresolved human rights issues. Activists feel abandoned
Pat Mertz Esswein: Homes are now affordable again and mortgage rates are low. What you need to know before you buy
Kathy Kristof: Our Practical Investor Fights Inflation with These 6 Investments
Sue Hubbard, M.D.: The Kid's Doctor: Lactose intolerant young child? Check again
The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Hunt: Spread a Little Excitement with EXOTIC CONDIMENTS (4 RECIPES)
May 14, 2012
Lisa Gerstner: How to Protect Your Identity, Finances If You Lose Your Phone
Harvard Health Letters: Heart disease and dementia
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: MANGO COCONUT OAT MORNING MUFFINS are a bright but hearty delight
May 11, 2012
Jessica L. Anderson: Get the Best Deal on a Used Car
Jett Stone: Forget face-lifts and fake knees. Scientists have seen the fountain of youth --- and it's broccoli
The Kosher Gourmet by Chef Mario Batali: The famed chef's vegetable dish that tastes true to the season: FAVAS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH POTATOES AND TARRAGON
May 10, 2012
Sergei L. Loiko: Putin sends warning to U.S., NATO in Victory Day speech at Red Square
Mary Rourke: How being a 'mentch' got Vidal Sasoon his start and fighting in Israel's War of Independence provided him with confidence and a strong sense of his own identity
Jeff Bertolucci: Get Home Phone Service for Less Than $10 a Month
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Gleaming with its golden, crimson, and snowy white hues, this silken smooth and creamy STRAWBERRY ORANGE TRIFLE looks impressive, but is easy to prepare
May 9, 2012
Sharon Palmer, R.D. How you can reduce your risk -- or delay -- chronic diseases associated with aging
|
| |
Jewish World Review
April 12, 2006
/ 14 Nissan, 5766
It's time to ban the presidential first pitch
By
Brad Dickson
| 
|
|
|
|
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
It happened again last week, the start of a new major league baseball season, which means another opportunity for the
president of the United States to embarrass, humiliate and degrade himself by attempting to throw out the first pitch.
President Bush actually did okay, with his ceremonial throw in Cincinnati hitting the catcher's glove high and wide of home
plate. He looked very athletic for a man who's been known to fall off his mountain bike five times just getting out of the driveway.
But Bush is a former college baseball star and former part-owner of the Texas Rangers. If his self-proclaimed "slow ball" sailed
high and wide one can only imagine how inept a President Hillary Clinton, a President Barbara Boxer, or a President Dennis
Kucinich might look.
Mr. Bush is a huge improvement over past presidents who traditionally exhibit form on opening day that can only be compared
to Rosie O'Donnell in "A League Of Their Own."
Is it a good idea to allow the Leader of the Free World to publically look this bad? When he attends G-8 economic summits
do we want the other seven leaders snickering in group photos because our president was on CNN the night before throwing like a
pansy?
The president throwing out the first pitch out of his element, sort of like the opening rounds of American Idol where the singers
sound like wild, hiccupping rhinos if wild, hiccupping rhinos were handed microphones and lyric sheets.
It could be even worse. Imagine like some Eastern European nations our national pastime was ice dancing, and on opening
day a sequined outfit-wearing president tossed his appointed doubles ice dancing partner ten feet in the air and then dropped her
face first when attempting to catch her?
Or suppose this was a Central American nation best known in the global community for our tan lines, drug cartels and as a
place where cruise ships full of nauseated passengers were forced to dock en route to someplace decent, and the National Pastime
was Dwarf Tossing? You think that Thanksgiving photo op of the president standing between two turkeys looks dumb.
This White House made no effort to cover up the fact that over the weekend in Crawford, Texas Bush practiced throwing to
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Joe Hagin. I've never understood this. The Avian flu could be heading this way while our
leader is working on his delivery. (With Dick Cheney possibly in the Rose Garden shouting "Pull!" as Scooter Libby tosses
plastic decoys in the air.) Wouldn't it be better for Americans to think the president never practiced, and that's why he looks
as out of place on a baseball field as Jillian Barberie at a Mensa meeting?
Normally the only time non-professionals are allowed on the field of play is when some lucky ticket holder is invited to shoot a
halfcourt shot at an NBA game, or kick a field goal during halftime of an NFL game to win a free car. A bit of advice if your ticket is
called to attempt the lucky shot DO NOT GO! The slim chance of winning a car almost always a KIA is not worth the lifetime of
embarrassment when your shot/kick lands several feet from you and the crowd gives you a smattering of pity applause. (Or, if you
live in Philadelphia, drowns you in a sea of beer, expletives and fecal matter).
If your ticket number is called it's far better to simply sneak out of the stadium or hand your ticket to another fan who will
disgrace themselves and be forced to move from the community in the dark of night.
Which is what the president should do on Opening Day next season.
Granted, baseball is our National Pastime, but it's time to leave America's National Pastime to the players the
Francisco's, the Jesuses, the Hidecki's, the Tadahito's, and that select group of native-born Americans with access to
the really good growth hormone. Thus when we see the smiling group photo from G-8 summits we know the other seven leaders are
grinning because they're happy, not because the president's first pitch bounced nine times before arriving at home plate.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
JWR contributor Brad Dickson was a monologue staff writer for The Tonight Show With Jay Leno for 13 years. He's presently developing a network television pilot. Comment by clicking here.
Archives
© 2006, Brad Dickson
|
|

Arnold Ahlert
Mitch Albom
Jay Ambrose
Michael Barone
Barrywood
Lori Borgman
Stratfor Briefing
Mona Charen
Linda Chavez
Richard Z. Chesnoff
Ann Coulter
Greg Crosby
Alan Douglas
Larry Elder
Suzanne Fields
Frank J. Gaffney
Bernie Goldberg
Jonah Goldberg
Julia Gorin
Jonathan Gurwitz
Paul Greenberg
Argus Hamilton
Victor Davis Hanson
Betsy Hart
Ron Hart
Nat Hentoff
Marybeth Hicks
A. Barton Hinkle
David Horowitz
Jeff Jacoby
Renee James
Paul Johnson
Jack Kelly
Ed Koch
Ch. Krauthammer
Michael Ledeen
John Leo
David Limbaugh
Kathryn Lopez
Rich Lowry
Michelle Malkin
Jackie Mason
Ann McFeatters
Dale McFeatters
Dana Milbank
Jeanne Moos
Dick Morris
Jim Mullen
Deroy Murdock
Judge A. Napolitano
Bill O'Reilly
Kathleen Parker
Star Parker
Dennis Prager
Wesley Pruden
Tom Purcell
Sharon Randall
Robert Robb
Cokie & Steve Roberts
Heather Robinson
Pat Sajak
Debra J. Saunders
Martin Schram
Culture Shlock
David Shribman
Roger Simon
Michael Smerconish
Thomas Sowell
Ben Stein
Mark Steyn
John Stossel
Cal Thomas
Dan Thomasson
Bob Tyrrell
Ben Wattenberg
Diana West
Dave Weinbaum
George Will
Walter Williams
Byron York
ZeitGeist
Mort Zuckerman

Robert Arial
Chuck Asay
Baloo
Chip Bok
Dry Bones
Lisa Benson
John Branch
John Cole
J. D. Crowe
John Deering
Brian Duffy
Everything's Relative
Mallard Fillmore
Glenn Foden
Jake Fuller
Bob Gorrel
Walt Handelsman
Joe Heller
David Hitch
Jerry Holbert
David Horsey
Lee Judge
Steve Kelley
Jeff Koterba
Dick Locher
Chan Lowe
Jimmy Margulies
Jack Ohman
Michael Ramirez
Drew Sheneman
Kevin Siers
Jeff Stahler
Scott Stantis
Ed Stein
Danna Summers
John Trever
Gary Varvel
Kirk Walters
Dan Wasserman

Mr. Know-It-All
Ask Doctor K
Richard Lederer
Frugal Living
Tech Maven
On Nutrition
Bookmark These
Bruce Williams
|