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Thursday, May 15, 2008

Politico: Utley has the president’s vote

For Ottley and all those little dudes out there!

Q Mr. President, I know you’re going to hate this, but I’m hoping that we may twist your arm and talk about baseball for just a moment. (Laughter.) Mr. President, you’re a Major League Baseball team owner again. Everyone is a free agent. You have a Yankees-like wallet. Who is your first position player? Who’s your pitcher?

THE PRESIDENT: That’s a great question. I like Ottley from the Philadelphia Phillies. He’s a middle infielder, which is always—you know, they say you have strength up the middle—there’s nothing better than having a good person up the middle that can hit. And Roy Halladay from the Toronto Blue Jays is a great pitcher. He’s a steady guy, he burns up innings. And I’m sure I’m leaving some other good ones out, but those—

Q We thought you were going to go A-Rod, Josh Beckett.

THE PRESIDENT: Josh Beckett is good, yes, he’s real good, too. I mean, look, that’s a tough question to answer on the fly like this, Michael.

Q Now, Mr. President, I wonder if you think that Major League Baseball is doing enough to combat steroids use, and specifically, would you favor a blood test to check for human growth hormone. As you know the players union says it’s an unwarranted—

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, look, I think what they need to do is to come to an agreement and to assure fans like me that the sport is clean. I mean, I—

Q But what would that take?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I haven’t studied all the particulars and all the testing. But I do know they need to get this era behind them quickly. Baseball is a fabulous sport. I used to say it’s a sport played by normal-sized people. It turns out some of these normal-sized people are obviously very strong and very quick, but nevertheless, normal-size—you don’t have to be a huge guy to play baseball. And it’s a great family sport, and it needs to be cleaned up.

Q And there haven’t been enough normal-sized people.

THE PRESIDENT: Well, there’s—yes, there are a lot of normal-sized people. I mean, there’s a lot of little dudes who can play the game and play it well.

Repoz Posted: May 15, 2008 at 11:50 AM | 38 comment(s) | Login to Bookmark
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   1. Bob Dernier Cri Posted: May 15, 2008 at 12:08 PM (#2781648)
Two more minor positive points about George W Bush:

1) Utley is a hell of a ballplayer

2) "Ottley" is some transcriptionist's misspelling, not his. (And even if it were, who is more like unto an embryo Mel Ott these days than Chase Utley?)
   2. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: May 15, 2008 at 12:09 PM (#2781649)
Who transcribed that interview? Jack Keefe?
   3. gef the talking mongoose Posted: May 15, 2008 at 12:44 PM (#2781675)
"Ottley" is some transcriptionist's misspelling, not his.


Clearly, said transcriptionist is a comics fan & was thinking of Ryan Ottley, who draws Image's Invincible.
   4. gef the talking mongoose Posted: May 15, 2008 at 12:45 PM (#2781677)
Forgot to add, considering whose guttural utterances between snorts of cocaine were being transcribed:

Shut up, you depraved degenerate.
   5. ECBucs Posted: May 15, 2008 at 12:45 PM (#2781678)
I'm glad the President is still willing to give interviews like this.

I thought since he gave up playing golf because of Iraq he wouldn't give any fun interviews anymore either.
   6. RB in NYC (Now with New Running Goal!) Posted: May 15, 2008 at 12:58 PM (#2781690)
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. His baseball fandom is--and always will be--the thing I like best about George W. Bush. I have to reluctantly give him some credit here, Utley isn't a bad call for a franchise starting player. A little old maybe, but definitely a solid pick.
   7. AROM Posted: May 15, 2008 at 01:03 PM (#2781696)
"Ottley" is some transcriptionist's misspelling, not his.


Too bad. I want Ottley on my allstar team, hitting in front of Manny Ortez.
   8. bunyon Posted: May 15, 2008 at 01:08 PM (#2781700)
Utley has W's vote? Quick, get Utley to tell him not to invade Iran!
   9. Rich Posted: May 15, 2008 at 01:08 PM (#2781701)
Finally, a subject Bush knows something about.
   10. Shredder Posted: May 15, 2008 at 01:09 PM (#2781703)
I thought since he gave up playing golf because of Iraq he wouldn't give any fun interviews anymore either.
I gotta admit, I wouldn't have been able to give up if I were in his position. Then again, I probably wouldn't have started an unnecessary preemptive war that's left thousands upon thousands of people dead, either.
   11. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: May 15, 2008 at 01:34 PM (#2781727)

Too bad. I want Ottley on my allstar team, hitting in front of Manny Ortez.


Not Sammy Soser?
   12. Lujack Posted: May 15, 2008 at 01:55 PM (#2781748)
No matter what you think about Bush, I would think the interviewer would have had the class to not interrupt him twice. I mean it's still the freakin' president!
   13. Don't want the truth; just wanna see some dingers Posted: May 15, 2008 at 02:03 PM (#2781758)
Mr. President, you haven't been golfing in recent years. Is that related to Iraq?

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, it really is. I don't want some mom whose son may have recently died to see the Commander-in-Chief playing golf. I feel I owe it to the families to be as -- to be in solidarity as best as I can with them. And I think playing golf during a war just sends the wrong signal.


"Now watch this drive!"
   14. Slinger Francisco Barrios (Dr. Memory) Posted: May 15, 2008 at 02:03 PM (#2781759)
Was he really talking to George W. Bush?

constantly try to embetter yourself

Sure sounds like it.

I would think the interviewer would have had the class to not interrupt him twice.

Aw, that was more of the two guys b.s.'ing part of the thing. And possibly Bush just trailed off and wasn't necessarily interrupted.
   15. MSI Posted: May 15, 2008 at 02:09 PM (#2781772)
He should have stayed in baseball.
   16. gef the talking mongoose Posted: May 15, 2008 at 02:14 PM (#2781782)
He should have stayed in rehab.


Fixed.
   17. gay guy in cut-offs smoking the objective pipe Posted: May 15, 2008 at 02:15 PM (#2781785)
Halladay is also an interesting choice -- he's a guy who plays in a different country, for a team that's been consistently mediocre and out of the spotlight, and doesn't rack up a ton of wins or strikeouts. He's a little old to start a franchise with, but it's not a terrible choice by any means -- I really wish he'd explored his reasoning a little more, like, is he thinking about reducing the load on the bullpen and hence the stress on his other starters by getting a guy like Halladay who goes deep into games? Or does he have something else in mind?
   18. cee lo ortiz Posted: May 15, 2008 at 02:17 PM (#2781790)
President George W #######, what a silly ####
   19. aleskel Posted: May 15, 2008 at 02:19 PM (#2781794)
I really wish he'd explored his reasoning a little more, like, is he thinking about reducing the load on the bullpen and hence the stress on his other starters by getting a guy like Halladay who goes deep into games?

I think it's safe to say that Bush wouldn't give this much thought to late-game exit strategies.
   20. Don't want the truth; just wanna see some dingers Posted: May 15, 2008 at 02:20 PM (#2781795)
Those are pretty good choices. I would probably go with Pujols and Santana, 2nd choice would be David Wright and Brandon Webb.
   21. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: May 15, 2008 at 02:28 PM (#2781810)
Finally, a subject Bush knows something about.

I can't remember who it was, but some former aide of Bush's recently said in frustration that he tried to have serious in-depth conversations with Bush on intricate matters of foreign policy, only for Bush to start talking baseball with him.
   22. Phenomenal Smith Posted: May 15, 2008 at 02:32 PM (#2781813)
I gotta admit, I wouldn't have been able to give up if I were in his position. Then again, I probably wouldn't have started an unnecessary preemptive war that's left thousands upon thousands of people dead, either
.

Yes, because Saddam was much better at killing thousands Iraqis (and Iranians, too).
   23. Slinger Francisco Barrios (Dr. Memory) Posted: May 15, 2008 at 02:44 PM (#2781828)
Yes, because Saddam was much better at killing thousands Iraqis (and Iranians, too).

Ask the Iraqis what they would prefer. Go ahead, I can wait.
   24. gef the talking mongoose Posted: May 15, 2008 at 02:48 PM (#2781834)
Yes, because Saddam was much better at killing thousands Iraqis (and Iranians, too).


If you're going to do something, you might as well be good at it.
   25. gay guy in cut-offs smoking the objective pipe Posted: May 15, 2008 at 02:48 PM (#2781836)
Where were you guys when "Conservatives and Baseball" was stalling out well short of Pete Rose? We could have used you back then. It's been the Ray and kevin and Andy and JC and robin and Nieporent Show for like 1000 posts now.
   26. gef the talking mongoose Posted: May 15, 2008 at 02:50 PM (#2781841)
No matter what you think about Bush, I would think the interviewer would have had the class to not interrupt him twice. I mean it's still the freakin' president!


Accent on freakin', unfortunately.

Besides, y'know, if one views respect as something one earns, rather than has conveyed on oneself by the whims of Three-Finger Tony Scalia & his vile toadies ...
   27. gef the talking mongoose Posted: May 15, 2008 at 02:52 PM (#2781846)
Where were you guys when "Conservatives and Baseball" was stalling out well short of Pete Rose? We could have used you back then. It's been the Ray and kevin and Andy and JC and robin and Nieporent Show for like 1000 posts now.


I was sidelined by a case of shingles (no doubt caused by "President" Bush), I'm sorry to report, & at 4,000 or however-many posts, that thread looks way too dauntingly long to try to edge my way into ...
   28. Shredder Posted: May 15, 2008 at 03:43 PM (#2781920)
Yes, because Saddam was much better at killing thousands Iraqis (and Iranians, too).
Oh, right, the "liberation" rationale. I forget, was that the third or fourth different justification they cooked up?

And, of course, you do know that we were on his side when he was killing Iranians, right?
   29. Boots Day Posted: May 15, 2008 at 04:12 PM (#2781957)
I think it was the third rationale. In a first-place tie were "Saddam has WMDs" and "Saddam is in league with al-Qaeda." Then it was "Saddam is a murderous dictator," then it was "We need to spread democracy in the Middle East." Now we're up to "We need to fight because it would be worse if we left."

I still have no idea why we were there in the first place.
   30. Answer Guy Posted: May 15, 2008 at 04:25 PM (#2781981)
Where were you guys when "Conservatives and Baseball" was stalling out well short of Pete Rose? We could have used you back then. It's been the Ray and kevin and Andy and JC and robin and Nieporent Show for like 1000 posts now.


Hundreds of posts of "Libertarianism roolz! No, libertarianism sux!" were interesting when I was an undergrad. Now, not so much. I can't believe I'm even posting in this thread.
   31. Slinger Francisco Barrios (Dr. Memory) Posted: May 15, 2008 at 04:29 PM (#2781989)
I still have no idea why we were there in the first place.

Why.
   32. Forsch 10 From Navarone (Dayn) Posted: May 15, 2008 at 04:36 PM (#2782003)
Libertarianism roolz! No, libertarianism sux!" were interesting when I was an undergrad. Now, not so much.

"Libertarianism was interesting when I was an undergrad. Now, not so much."

Fixed.
   33. Quiet Flows the Don Taussig Avenger (Edmundo) Posted: May 15, 2008 at 04:37 PM (#2782005)
I still have no idea why we were there in the first place.
The saddest thing of all, outside of if a loved one died as a result of this conflict, is that there is a lot of unfinished business in Afghanistan, for which there WERE compelling reasons for engaging in a war. bin Laden is still at large, there exists an organization called the "Taliban", and the Taliban even controls pieces of geography.
The Bush/Rummy/Cheney "braintrust" couldn't have devised a winning plan for the Invasion of Grenada, much less murky areas like Afghanistan and Iraq.
   34. SouthSideRyan Posted: May 15, 2008 at 04:39 PM (#2782009)
Yes, because Saddam was much better at killing thousands Iraqis (and Iranians, too).

Ask the Iraqis what they would prefer. Go ahead, I can wait.


Option J?
   35. zonk Posted: May 15, 2008 at 05:00 PM (#2782050)
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. His baseball fandom is--and always will be--the thing I like best about George W. Bush. I have to reluctantly give him some credit here, Utley isn't a bad call for a franchise starting player. A little old maybe, but definitely a solid pick.


No argument there. I've said on several occasions that W would probably make a damn fine Commissioner. I cannot stand Bush as the President, but I'd happily support him as commissioner of baseball.

Where were you guys when "Conservatives and Baseball" was stalling out well short of Pete Rose? We could have used you back then. It's been the Ray and kevin and Andy and JC and robin and Nieporent Show for like 1000 posts now.


Hey!

I like to think I contributed a few bloop singles that kept the rally going...
   36. Rich Posted: May 15, 2008 at 06:27 PM (#2782302)
Yes, because Saddam was much better at killing thousands Iraqis (and Iranians, too).


Right, which is why Iran is the ultimate winner of the Iraq war.

btw, The U.S. supported Saddam when he was killing his own people and waging war with Iran. Just sayin'.
   37. Hector Moreda & The Generalissimo Posted: May 15, 2008 at 07:04 PM (#2782398)
Golf during a war == bad
Press Corps Dinners where you crack jokes about not being able to find WMDs == good

Ok, got it, thanks.
   38. vigaro Posted: May 16, 2008 at 12:40 AM (#2782739)
Did Woopass say that?

thought Otler was good.
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