Sports On Earth: Hail to the chiefs

Every four years, the nation’s capital is consumed by the race for the presidency. For the first time since 1933, the Nationals have given journalists, pundits and politicians alike a second pennant chase to obsess over.

Washington is finally experiencing meaningful late-season baseball. In fact, with the Nationals already in the playoffs and attempting to hold off late-charging Atlanta for an actual division title, locals have some new and unexpected choices to make.

CNN … or ESPN?

Politico … or the Washington Post and Times sports pages?

Wake up and check the latest tracking polls … or pour some coffee and check the standings?

“It used to be that in late August and September, you wouldn’t find anyone at Nationals Park on the weekend because people were watching college football and the NFL,” says Luke Russert, a Nationals fan and Capitol Hill correspondent for NBC News. “But it’s amazing how the Nationals have gripped the town. Everyone is watching. It’s a bipartisan success story.

Bang, zoom go the chattering classes!