Time to lay off the Kerry-bashing for a moment -- 'cause this is kinda cool:
It's not exactly President Bush's surprise flight to Baghdad before Thanksgiving, but John Kerry redirected his flight tonight to Boston to catch the Red Sox-Yankees Game at Fenway Park and to add a little excitement to the Democratic nominating convention that begins tomorrow.
"We're going to the Yankees-Red Sox game. Right now. This is true," Mr. Kerry told reporters on his campaign plane, telling them he couldn't stand to miss a crucial game between the die-hard rivals.
A stunt? You bet. But it's a good one. Just one problem:
The boos about equaled the applause when Mr. Kerry was introduced at the game and it's still unclear what the surprise visit will do to his support in New York.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think Kerry's home state is in play. Not now, not ever. But that's still a whole lotta boos for the hometown favorite.
I'm no Kerry fan but I found his interview in the stands refreshing and fun in a 'it's baseball, not politics' way. Took a stand against the designated hitter and against Pete Rose entering the hall of fame- "It's up to the writers, but, It would be hard" (to allow him in).
He's at home and he deserves to relax and have some fun rooting for his team.*
*it's my team too as I live in Mass but I wouldn't vote for Kerry even if he could guarantee a World Series victory for the Red Sox.
Ehhh...I'm not impressed, and don't think it's cool. It's the same as his snowboarding (with the daisy zipper-pull). Not to mention his exegesis of rap. He desperately wants to be cool.
ESPN spent the whole frickin' game ogling him and talking about how great he and the rest of the Democrats and Hollywood stars in the stands are.
And now Lisa is standing up to Mr. Burns' Republican media monopoly.
I can't take much more of this. What channel can I turn to anymore? CBN?
Ultimately, Kerry's choice in ball teams seems to be rather apt.
He picked the one that always gets their asses kicked in the end of the season, and then whine about it until the next.
Kerry did not take a stand against the DH. He just said "I don't like it." Well Senator, do you not like it enough to get rid of it (Personally I think it should stay in the AL and out of the NL) ? Just say baseball should dump it, don't weasel around. Nor did he say keep Rose out of the Hall, just more weaseling about "letting the writers decide." Ugh man, have some firm opinion one something. John Miller kept pressing him on those points and he kept weaseling around.
Kerry is not personally liked very much in Boston - he's too arrogant and aloof to connect with people. He's all Just For Kerry.
For a guy who misses no opportunity to mug for the camera in athletic settings, that was a pretty pathetic pitch. (Remember, GWB threw a perfect strike during the 2001 World Series at Yankee Stadium while wearing a bullet-proof vest.) And what was he doing throwing to a soldier rather than to a member of the Red Sox? That was even more pathetic pandering than usual.
I'm surprised the soldier didn't throw it back at him. The pantomime of pulling the pin would have been precious!
Hogarth, that soldier was originally supposed to throw the pitch. I have a feeling he couldn't bring himself to do anything untoward after seeing how Kerry throws.
