Murdoch Goes Gentle on Obama's First Pitch

Murdoch Goes Gentle on Obama's First Pitch

By Tim Graham (Bio | Archive)
July 15, 2009 - 06:00 ET

I don’t judge a president by his ceremonial pitching. (I'd have to hire a stunt president.) But the Yahoo Sports! blog Big League Stew thought the Fox camera shot of President Obama’s St. Louis arch of a pitch at Tuesday night’s All-Star Game was odd:

Where did it land? Was it a strike or wasn't it? Why didn't the network choose a better camera to shoot from? Those were the questions that viewers of baseball's All-Star Game were asking themselves at home after Fox elected to show President Barack Obama's ceremonial first pitch at the 80th All-Star Game from a tight angle.

...Earlier on Tuesday, the President said that he planned to throw his first Presidential pitch high so it'd get to the plate without bouncing, but his control was lacking. He clearly didn't throw a strike like George W. Bush famously did during the 2001 World Series in New York just weeks after Sept. 11.

The more debatable point from the historic moment was the reception the President was afforded by the self-described "best fans in baseball." Though Obama was roundly cheered by the All-Star fans, his live presence still didn't attract the applause that George W. Bush did during a taped announcement by the four previous Presidents before the game and some boos could even be heard among the cheers.

Whether or not those fans were booing Obama's politics (Missouri voted for John McCain last November) or his choice of attire (he chose to wear a long-sleeved White Sox jacket in support of his favorite team and a pair of regular old blue jeans) was unclear.

Yahoo! Sports had a video showing Fox aired a replay with a conventional center-field shot of Obama's pitch. Commenters noticed that St. Louis Cardinals star Albert Pujols perched in front of home plate to catch a short pitch.

First pitches are very ceremonial. The exception may have been Bush's post-9/11 pitch at the World Series, when the country craved normalcy, and it felt quite brave for the president to take the field in such a shaken atmosphere. In April 1996, our MediaWatch newsletter found that one anchor tried to downplay boos for Bill Clinton in Baltimore on Opening Day, while another just edited them out:

NBC's Tom Brokaw swung and missed when he tried to cover for the President. During the traditional first pitch thrown by the President on baseball's Opening Day, Bill Clinton was roundly booed by many in attendance at the April 2 Orioles game. Brokaw delivered the play-by-play:

"President Clinton taking the mound for the ceremonial first pitch. All the way from the pitcher's rubber, it was a little on the high side, and watching from the stands and not booing like most of the rest of the crowd -- Pat Buchanan. By the way the boos, like the first pitch, are traditional whoever the President."

Dan Rather didn't even mention the boos on the same night's CBS Evening News. Viewers only heard cheering at Clinton's lob. But on that day's CNN Inside Politics Bruce Morton replayed five recent Opening Day first pitches, one from Ronald Reagan, three from George Bush, and a previous Clinton throw. In all five, including Clinton's earlier pitch, the President was cheered.

—Tim Graham is Director of Media Analysis at the Media Research Center.

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he throws like a girl, and from the left.

July 15, 2009 - 06:40 ET by puredmashie

there have been some tragically spastic efforts by presidents who throw out the 1st pitch over the last more than 100 years, so to be fair to his oneness, his effort was not the worst in baseball history. but after viewing last night's effort, maybe he should stick to bowling.

swing hard in case you hit it.

Did he have his sports bra

July 15, 2009 - 07:09 ET by Jack Bauer

Did he have his sports bra on?

Obama Lied... Jobs Died.

Bwaaahahahahaha!

July 15, 2009 - 08:45 ET by Rukus

Sweet! Too funny Jack! I think he was wearing a size 38 double-moob. LOL! : )

Gary

I want my country back!

Why isn't throwing out the

July 15, 2009 - 06:48 ET by motherbelt

Why isn't throwing out the first pitch at the All-Star game a "distraction" that the President "doesn't need" (you know, like that pesky "pirate" thing) when he's trying to deal with so many problems in the economy?

After all, with so many pressing problems, he didn't even have time to have dinner with the French President.

I guess the All-Star game wasn't on the list of things "he'd love to do but are off the schedule" right now.

Then again, dinner with Sarkozy wouldn't have been televised.....

I didn't think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows. -Bart Simpson

speaking of "distractions"

July 15, 2009 - 23:29 ET by mom_rox

(sorry I'm late to the game on this post)

My family was watching the game tonight (Wednesday) and my husband remarked how Pres. Obama can't attend a local D.C. church because he would be a distraction, but thinks nothing of the hassle and distraction of being at a sports event.

Also, later during the game, Fox showed another view of Obama's pitch. That view made the pitching arc look more terrible than the original camera angle, but it also showed that if Pujols were playing hockey - that would have been a glove save. And Pujols definitely bunny-hopped to be in front of the plate to make that catch.

~~save your tea, dump congress~~

Well his girlyman pitches

July 15, 2009 - 07:12 ET by Jack Bauer

Well his girlyman pitches for Government run Healthcare and Crap & Tax have both failed.

So this is hardly a surprise.

Obama Lied... Jobs Died.

A sinker

July 15, 2009 - 08:38 ET by Sefton

Press reports said he threw a sinker.

That seems politically appropriate.

Over-bulked

July 15, 2009 - 07:14 ET by Caringwhiteguy

It must be those massive pecs getting in the way of the Messiah's efforts to throw. I'd bet either of his daughters has better throwing form.

Can't blame the guy for

July 15, 2009 - 07:15 ET by rimsky

Can't blame the guy for wanting to throw out the first pitch, lame throw that it was (Bush's first pitch in 2001 was THE BEST). If it were me I'd want to do it.

It was the interview with Joe Buck and Tim McCarver that was absolutely annoying. The poor director must have gotten a bit wall-eyed with all the constant switching from the game back to the booth, to the game, back to the booth, yada, yada. God forbid we miss a scintilla of any syllable that Barry might utter.

And don't tell me that Barry wasn't posing for the photogs behind him. Turning one way and using his hands to express himself.. great photo-ops. Gag me!

I am an avid baseball fan.

July 15, 2009 - 07:27 ET by dvdaughtry

I am an avid baseball fan. I heard that Obama was going to be in the booth so I was prepared to mute.

And mute I did, but I was not ready for the array of booth shots. I couldn't watch. I got up and went into my computer room until the inning was over (I periodically checked it).

Not only is this guy taking my money, rights, and freedom, but now he also owes me three out of an All-Star game!

You trying to say Jesus Christ can't hit a curveball?

All Star game

July 15, 2009 - 12:16 ET by rockyracoon

dvdaughtry, you're killing me I did the same thing as well. No way could I suffer through that!!

First Pitch

July 15, 2009 - 07:18 ET by Birch Barlow

I thought the camera work on the first pitch was strange too. It would have been interesting to see if they would have replayed it from all kinds of angles if he hadn't thrown like a girl.

Hilary Clinton First Pitch

July 15, 2009 - 07:30 ET by dvdaughtry

I was at an opening day at Wrigley Field, years ago, when Hilary got to throw out the first pitch.

She threw it from the first row, but when Wayne Messmer annouced her name the Boo Birds came out like non other.

You trying to say Jesus Christ can't hit a curveball?

As soon as I saw the camera

July 15, 2009 - 07:37 ET by Tom Paine

As soon as I saw the camera angle for the pitch I figured the Whitehouse was trying yet again to stage manage an event. Had it gone over the plate they would have been running it in an endless loop and Chrissy Matthews would be getting another thrill up his leg today.

So the boy aint no good at

July 15, 2009 - 08:16 ET by Dan The Man 2

So the boy aint no good at baseball. What he needs is to throw some free throws at a roundball game. I heard he is a god in that game. I saw the throw and even I can throw it to reach the plate and his did not.

So like many of his actions they were not well thought out or planned and when executed fall short of the goals set. Yet, the SCM covers for him and tells us it was a home run, nay a grand slam.

In his case it is most always a grand sham.

If Obama muffs the first

July 15, 2009 - 08:40 ET by nicksmith112

If Obama muffs the first pitch but the television audience never sees it...did it really happen?

I'm a refugee from the Democratic Party.

Yes. Obama looked like

July 15, 2009 - 08:54 ET by TE

Yes. Obama looked like a GIRL throwing that baseball. I'll be waiting for anyone from ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, CNN, MSDNC, NPR, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Oprah, Entertainment Tonight, Extra, Access Hollywood, the New York Times-Democrat, the Washington Post-Democrat, Time, Newsweek, et al., to point out that fact. Next year, maybe MLB will have another woman like Biden, Pelosi or Hillary Clinton throw out the first pitch.

Obama's no Rip Sewell ...

July 15, 2009 - 09:22 ET by metaphorsbwithu

For a "pitchman" the president's lob was an "eephus".

FYI: "Eephus ain't nothing, and that's a nothing pitch." - Maurice Van Robays - former Pirates outfielder

You may create your own metaphors.

metaphorsbwithu

Obama's pitch

July 15, 2009 - 09:09 ET by charlietexas

No comments about the POTUS attire? Jeans and tennis? Is that appropriate attire for POTUS ANYWHERE? So Barry is a slob? Was he smoking in the box seat? Asshole

Charlie,

July 15, 2009 - 09:16 ET by UpNorth

that was just his "working man casual" attire. I'm sure he kicked and screamed when Michelle dressed him for his appearance. Wonder if he took her to dinner afterward, or if he'll go back to D.C. then fly off somewhere on AF1 to go to dinner?

we're out of money, hahaha

July 15, 2009 - 09:26 ET by Infidelphia

Odd that our Boy President wore a White Sox (is that racist or just partisan?) jacket and guffawed at Joe Buck's quip about bailouts. As Prez Bush never wore Rangers stuff and he owned the team for a time.

Rush had an interesting take

July 15, 2009 - 12:27 ET by Tom Paine

Rush had an interesting take on this. Obama's handlers knew he was going to be booed when he made his appearance so they put him in a White Sox jacket to provide an explaination.

Ever president gets

July 15, 2009 - 13:49 ET by USAnumber1

Ever president gets booed! It goes with the territory.

Can't the guy just wear a white sox jacket without the right thinking it's some sort of conspiracy. I think Rush needs to lay off the pills again.

I think you should lighten

July 15, 2009 - 14:06 ET by dvdaughtry

I think you should lighten up and know when someone is telling a joke.

You trying to say Jesus Christ can't hit a curveball?

Like my joke of Rush laying

July 15, 2009 - 14:45 ET by USAnumber1

Like my joke of Rush laying off the pills??

although i'm not sure if that's really a joke.

USA!

July 15, 2009 - 15:36 ET by dvdaughtry

touche...

You trying to say Jesus Christ can't hit a curveball?

Re every President

July 15, 2009 - 15:09 ET by slickwillie2001

The Bamster isn't 'every President'. He's been sold as 'The One', the messiah, transformational, post-racial, a rockstar celebrity, equal to Lincoln, FDR, JFK and Washington all at the same time. Are you admitting that that was a bunch of hooey and he is in fact just another President?

of course!! the man has

July 15, 2009 - 16:27 ET by USAnumber1

of course!!

the man has only been in office for half a year. some folks on the right thought Bush was a gift from God. there's gullible people on both sides. i wait before i form my own opinion.