AP: Bush Gets First Pitch - "I'm Not Gonna Give Them An Excuse To Boo Me"

[Hissyspit]

:eyes: Excuse? Try Moral Imperative.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/7424133

Bush Gets First Pitch, First Look

AP foreign, Monday March 31 2008 By BEN FELLER

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush had enough to worry about - like not flubbing the first pitch in front of a crowd that might not exactly be his biggest fans anyway.

So before the game, when a couple of Atlanta Braves gave him a team jersey and suggested he wear it to throw out the first pitch at Nationals Park, Bush laughed. Uh, no thanks, guys. Might as well put on a sign that says "Boo me."

"I'm not going to give them any excuses," Bush said of the 40,000-plus people gathered for the opening of Washington's gleaming baseball stadium.

Over in the Nationals' swank clubhouse, general manager Jim Bowden told the president he expected him to throw a strike. More pressure.

"Shhh," Bush responded. "Keep expectations low."

By the time Bush emerged onto the baseball field, he had ditched the gray sports coat and popped out of the home dugout in a red Nationals jacket. He was greeted by plenty of loud jeers, but also determined cheers, as if the fans in both camps were trying to outduel each other.

The president didn't dawdle on the pitcher's mound. He quickly released the ceremonial first pitch high and to the third-base side of the plate, where Washington Nationals manager Manny Acta caught it with ease.

It wasn't surprising that Bush's pitch went high. People tend to have long memories when the ball is bounced to home plate. So Bush made time this week to hurl some practice pitches in his backyard - the South Lawn of the White House. He took some private throws just before his prime-time toss Sunday.

"I didn't want to bounce it, that's for certain," Bush later told ESPN announcers Jon Miller and Joe Morgan. "That's why I came in with high heat."

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[Bicoastal]

1. Also: Bitch Gets First Push.

[Botany]

2. Hello Iraq?

"So Bush made time this week to hurl some practice pitches in his backyard
- the South Lawn of the White House."

[opihimoimoi]

6. He should be PRACTICING THINKING more often as he usually flubs them there thoughts called Decisions

[Double T]

3. bush probably yells 'fore' as he is throwing the ball.

[bleever]

4. I wonder if Ben Feller is related to Bob.

He could throw strikes.

And he served in the military, honorably and at some sacrifice to his career.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Feller

ed: adding this, from the wikipedia entry:

In 2006, when Negro league baseball legend Buck O'Neil failed to get voted into the Hall of Fame, Feller was quoted as saying “What the hell do (these committee members) know about baseball? I know more about Aristotelian metaphysics and string theory than they do about baseball."

[riverdeep]

5. He puts physical fitness above other priorities.

Like fiscal fitness. I'm all for taking care of yourself, but taking more vacation days than geriatric Ron Reagan? Going to bed at 9:30P? I keep forgetting though, he's as much of an actor as Reagan ever was. Just worse.

[shanti]

7. hey chimpy!

here's the deal...we don't NEED an excuse to boo you!