Bush Balks at First Pitch

President Bush has decided to skip the tradition of throwing out the first pitch on opening day of baseball season. William Howard Taft started the tradition of the President tossing out the first ball at the Washington DC home opener back in 1910. President Bush resumed the tradition when baseball returned to DC in 2005 (see photo). But he joins an elite club in skipping two season openers in a row. From the Washington Post:

"Except for when the world was at war, only two other presidents, Woodrow Wilson and Richard M. Nixon, missed opening Day ceremonies two years in a row. And Wilson had suffered a stroke."

Mr Bush is the picture of health, but his poll numbers are on life support. DC is also among the blue-est of the Blue States. Many fans wear the Nationals' batting caps with the letters "DC" -- because they balk at the idea of wearing the "W" of the game caps.

Could be the President didn't want to strike out on camera with fans booing him?

That happened last year when Vice President Cheney went in as the President's relief pitcher (see video below). (WaPo)




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