Obama: First Pitch, All-Star Game

In what was probably one of the most daunting tasks of his presidency to date, Obama threw out the first pitch at the All-Star Game in St. Louis on Tuesday.

The pitch is being hailed as a success. I guess that all depends on what the meaning of "success" is.

It was at least as successful as the stimulus has been.

From Politico:

It was low, and didn't quite reach home plate. But President Barack Obama checked a signature presidential tradition off his list Tuesday night when he threw out the first pitch at the All-Star Game.

Wearing jeans and his black White Sox jacket, Obama entered Busch Stadium to cheers – and a surprising number of boos – from the sell-out crowd.

I could hear the booing, though the cheering was much, much louder.

I don't know why fans at the game would bother to boo Obama. I can understand not cheering him, just staying silent. I think they should have shown more respect.

I don't know why Carol E. Lee writes that there were a "surprising number of boos." What's surprising about it? Was she surprised that the fans behaved boorishly or is she clueless as to the fact that many Americans aren't thrilled with what Obama is doing as president?

He waved to the fans, and he stopped to chat with Cardinals great Stan Musial, who was sitting in a golf cart on the field. Then he walked to the pitcher’s mound. He smiled as he readied himself. Then he threw the ball.

But it did not reach the plate. And if it weren’t for Albert Pujols, playing Obama’s catcher, it would have hit the dirt. Pujols scooped up the ball before it hits the ground.

OK. Why is the headline for this article "Obama's first pitch a success"?

The pitch didn't reach the plate; and Pujols managed to spare Obama the embarrassment of having the pitch hit the dirt.

It wasn't a disaster by any means but it wasn't really a success either. It's not as if he threw a strike.

Obama reacted from the mound with aww shucks-style disappointment. No doubt it was a tough reality for the competitive president – especially given that his predecessor George W. Bush got his pitch across.

I hope Obama wasn't competing with President Bush when he threw the pitch. That would have been rather childish.

Obama certainly looked relieved when it was over, even if he wasn't thrilled with his performance.

Although the pitch can't be called a success, it was successful enough.

Later in the FOX announcer booth, Obama noted one difference of throwing out a pitch as commander-in-chief.

“Here at least they had me down with Pujols in the batting cage," he said.

Seated between Joe Buck and Jim McCarver with a headset on, Obama declared, “This is as much fun as I’ve had in some time."

Asked about his White Sox jacket he's wearing, he said everyone knows he’s a big fan. Then he got a little corny and added, “My wife thinks I look cute in this jacket.”

That's more than "a little corny." That's major league corny.

Obama should have just left it as showing support for his team. But the teleprompter wasn't there, so things got a little dicey.

No big deal.

It's the All-Star Game, a celebration of America's pastime. I think Obama did just fine. I'd rather have him pitching than wrecking the economy and forcing his rationed care health plan on us.

What I really didn't like about the game was the realization that the summer is already half over.

Here's video of Obama's sort of successful pitch.