Yesterday afternoon, Mark Buehrle achieved a rare feat. He pitched a perfect game.
Mark Buehrle of the White Sox pitched a perfect game Thursday afternoon, the first in major league baseball in five seasons and the 18th over all, in a 5-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in Chicago.
It's a tremendous accomplishment. It's historic. No question about it. Congratulations to him.
White Sox fan Obama took time out of his busy campaign and jet fuel burning schedule to call Buehrle.
Video of the call here.
From MLB.com:
For the second week in a row, Mark Buehrle was in a ballpark being congratulated by the President of the United States.
This time, President Barack Obama was calling him to say "congratulations" on "an extraordinary achievement" only moments after the pitcher completed his perfect game against the Rays on Thursday afternoon
"I'm still in shock. Thank you, sir," Buehrle told Obama over the phone.
Obama -- a left-handed pitcher as well -- is the First Fan of the White Sox, having just thrown out the ceremonial first pitch at 80th All-Star Game on July 14 while wearing a black White Sox jacket. Before that appearance, he had hugged Buehrle while meeting with all the All-Star players to congratulate them for their selections.
Coincidentally, Obama was scheduled to fly in the late afternoon from Cleveland to Chicago, where he is attending a fundraiser at the residence of Penny Pritzker. The White House staff schedule said he would be arriving at O'Hare Airport and would then meet with reporters, meaning he would be expected to talk about Buehrle's gem at length -- including how he followed it or got word.
...Presidents have a long history of calling Major League Baseball clubhouses to offer congratulations, but it typically has been after a World Series clincher. This was another extreme example of Obama's love for baseball and specifically the White Sox.
That's right. Obama is such a fan of the White Sox that he reminisces about the old "Cominskey Field." Yeah, Obama's a real diehard fan.
...Buehrle then was asked [at a postgame news conference] how excited Obama sounded over the phone.
"It was hard to tell," Buehrle said. "Obviously he's got a lot of stuff going on, and I think I was more nervous talking to him and trying on my end not to say something stupid. But I was just sitting there in the press conference and somebody says, 'Hey, the president wants to talk to you.' I got goosebumps. Obviously that's never happened before and hopefully it happens again."
Underlining the importance of the day, Buehrle said, "Yeah, we joked around, a 30-second phone call, and I'm like, 'What? That's all he's got for me?' Obviously I know he's got more important things to do, but it's just an honor that he took a couple seconds out of his day to call me."
Obama had said a week earlier in the Fox broadcasting booth during the All-Star Game: "This is the national pastime. ... It's such a reminder about what's great in this country."
On Thursday, it was very much on his mind. Accustomed to receiving urgent briefings on serious matters like health care debate and international intelligence, Obama was getting updates on Buehrle's perfect game.
If word got out that President Bush was getting updates about a baseball game he would have been crucified by the lib media and other Leftists, yet we're supposed to be excited about Obama following this game?
Obama isn't being criticized for receiving the "urgent briefings" on
Buehrle's progress.
Of course not.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said that as the president was leaving Shaker Heights High School after a town hall meeting in the Cleveland area, he was quickly briefed on the fact that Buehrle was carrying a perfect game into the ninth inning at U.S. Cellular Field.
Gibbs said that as the president's motorcade headed to the airport for the flight to Chicago, he received an e-mail update from an aide that the perfect game had been completed, according to a CNN.com report.
What drama!
Good grief.
"As a fan, it's extraordinary," Obama told Gibbs before Air Force One took off from Cleveland, according to the press secretary. "When you're a White Sox fan -- and I know the guy -- it makes it even more fun."
What makes it even more special is that Buehrle pitched the perfect game at home, in front of the fans at "Cominskey Field."
Obama then had Buehrle pulled out of the postgame news conference and, according to Gibbs, told the pitcher it was "an extraordinary achievement."
Yes, when Obama wants to talk to someone the world stops so that it can happen. Obama summoned Buehrle to the phone.
His will be done.
Actually, I think Obama wanted a piece of the attention that Buehrle was getting. Obama wanted to become part of the story. Plus, here was an opportunity to sell his "White Sox fan" image.
The American people are turning against Obama's policies. He still wants them to like him personally.
Moreover, in spite of his claims to the contrary, he believes that everything is about him. Of course he'd want to insert himself into the celebration of Buehrle's perfect game.
I find it very interesting that Obama's devotion to baseball and the White Sox and "Cominskey Field" is being played up by the White House.
What about bowling?
All this talk about Obama the sports fanatic reminds me of his bowling skills. I'm reminded of his appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, March 19.
This very uncool exchange took place:
LENO: Now, are they going to put a basketball –- I imagine the bowling alley has been just burned and closed down.
OBAMA: No, no. I have been practicing all –- (laughter.)
LENO: Really? Really?
OBAMA: I bowled a 129. (Laughter and applause.)
LENO: No, that's very good. Yes. That's very good, Mr. President.
OBAMA: It's like -- it was like Special Olympics, or something. (Laughter.)
LENO: No, that's very good.
OBAMA: No, listen, I'm making progress on the bowling, yes.
Disgusting.
It's moments like these when we see the real Obama, cruel and callous and cold and demeaning.
Because Obama's remarks were so offensive, he did apologize, something that Obama is often unwilling to do.
From Politico:
After comparing his bowling to the Special Olympics on "The Tonight Show" Thursday, President Obama called Special Olympics Chairman Tim Shriver to apologize before the program even aired.
“He expressed his disappointment and he apologized, in a way that was very moving,” Shriver said on ABC's “Good Morning America.” “It’s important to see that words hurt, and words do matter. And these words that in some respect can be seen as humiliating or a put-down of people with special needs do cause pain, and they do result in stereotypes."
Obama told Shriver he wants to have some Special Olympics competitors over to the White House for basketball or bowling.
More, from USA Today.
I was wondering about that invite.
It's been four months since Obama told Shriver he would invite Special Olympics athletes over to the White House.
Has Obama made good on that offer?
No. Another broken promise.
Here's an interesting update on the matter, from The Guardian, July 9, 2009:
Previously an academic specialising in the social and emotional factors of learning, Shriver probably knows better than most that it can be counterproductive to preach — particularly when addressing your country's new commander-in-chief: "It was a tough experience for all of us in the field of intellectual disability, and Special Olympics in particular, because nobody wants to be in a situation where we're scolding, or perceived to be scolding, the president of the United States or a major political figure."
Obama offered to have some Special Olympic athletes to visit the White House to play his favourite sport, basketball, or bowling, one the president has perhaps had enough of — but to date nothing has happened: "We have not had a specific event yet where the president can interact with Special Olympics athletes yet, but we're hopeful. He has been busy."
So when Obama was in hot water for his disgraceful mocking of the Special Olympics, he made a big deal about how he was going to host the Special Olympic athletes at the White House.
It turns out he just hasn't found the time. No time? Too busy?
How many date nights has Obama had since March 19?
May 2
May 30
June 6
The Obamas have hosted several concerts and events at the White House. Earlier this week, the Obamas had Country Music Night.
Obama seems to find time for dates and hosting celebrities but in four months time he hasn't managed to make good on his promise to invite some Special Olympics athletes to the White House.
Although he's mired in this health care reform battle, he takes time out to follow Mark Buehrle and then call to offer his congratulations.
Has Obama called any Special Olympians to congratulate them on their accomplishments?
Will Obama ever get around to making good on that simple promise he made back in March?
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