President Bush called Barry Bonds to congratulate him for breaking Hank Aaron’s mark as the all-time homerun king. The White House was apparently in no rush to make the call. “It was after noon before the president finally called, spending about three minutes on the phone.” Why the delay? The Swamp speculates:
Might this have had anything to do with the suspicion of steroid use by the San Francisco Giant who has batted his 756th homer?
“Right now, there is a leaguewide investigation going on in regard to steroid use,” Snow, said, and the president encourages the pursuit of that investigation and also thanks senators for pressing it.
Last week, ThinkProgress noted, “Should Bonds break the home run record sometime this week, Bush will face the question of whether or not he should call to congratulate the new all-time home run king and give legitimacy to a tainted record. It should be noted, however, that his hands are hardly clean on the issue.”

Who cares?
August 8th, 2007 at 3:11 pmI don’t think he had any choice but to call Bonds. Rove probably told him that it would be unpresidential not to call Bonds.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:14 pmNot this crap again. How long as Bonds been playing, how many players are under suspicion or have admitted to steroid use? What about the other owners?
TP has been reduced to this innuendo from some guy who says, “I think Bush might possibly have heard the whispers…” from twenty years ago.
Why hasnt Pelosi come out and condemned Bonds, he plays for a team based in her district? Maybe because Bonds hasnt been found guilty of anything? LOL, this site is becoming the DU.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:16 pmHe11, his hands aren’t clean on any issue. ITMFA.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:17 pmThis is news? You folks are really stretching it looking for ways to “Bash Bush”.
Personally, why should the President of the United States feel obligated to call a sports figure at all?
Should he be calling up Academy Award winners too?
I’m suprised the headline wasn’t something like: “President Bush displays remarkable hubris in calling sports figure while U.S. military is dying in Iraq, while Karl Rove fiddles with I-Phone.”
August 8th, 2007 at 3:19 pmThe thng about Sasquatches is that their coats are made for constant dampness, and are always glossy and sleek, but they don’t smell as nice after the dousings as they do when bathed, so they still get regular soapings — my choice, not theirs. They love water, but hate baths.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:22 pmI’m suprised the headline wasn’t something like: “President Bush displays remarkable hubris in calling sports figure while U.S. military is dying in Iraq, while Karl Rove fiddles with I-Phone.â€
Comment by O. Bigfoot — August 8, 2007 @ 3:19 pm
————–
Heh.
You should write for TP.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:23 pmWhy not give legitimacy to a tainted record?
He does it every day with his own.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:27 pm“The thng about Sasquatches is that their coats are made for constant dampness, and are always glossy and sleek, but they don’t smell as nice after the dousings as they do when bathed, so they still get regular soapings — my choice, not theirs. They love water, but hate baths.
Comment by Marcus Aurelius — August 8, 2007 @ 3:22 pm”
That may be true for Sasquatches, but isn’t he from Washington state, and isn’t he someone who’s on YOUR side?
I’m a Bigfoot. Different creature. You can ask my wife and past girlfriends if the old adage about fellows with big feet holds true….
August 8th, 2007 at 3:27 pmCaption Contest:
So heh heh heh, can ya get me sum of dem stereo-oids. I just can’t seem to keep up with gannon any more.
heh heh heh.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:28 pmI say this phonetically, but in all seriousness: Does the mayonaise go on the top, or the bottom?
August 8th, 2007 at 3:29 pmI’m a Bigfoot. Different creature. You can ask my wife and past girlfriends if the old adage about fellows with big feet holds true….
Comment by O. Bigfoot — August 8, 2007 @ 3:27 pm
All balls, no brains?
August 8th, 2007 at 3:29 pmMarcus,
You are wasting your libtroll skills in here. There are “important” threads, below this one, that are being ripped apart by the True Americans that post here. (you call them “trolls”)
August 8th, 2007 at 3:29 pmI think this is an important issue. It comes down to fair play and doing anything to obtain money and power and it starts at the top. The leadership of the country, I’m talking all ’sides’, resorts to tactics that are far from fair play. CEO’s and corporations spend countless time and effort and dollars to ‘get around’ the rules governing them to line their pockets and shareholders pockets. And it goes down to individuals doing whatever they can to get to the top. Less and less, people are ‘playing fair’. It’s the bad side of capitalism. What to do about - I have no clue - but it does seem to be a symptom of a problem.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:30 pmAnd if President Bush did not call Bonds you guy’s would have gone with your prepared post that I have good authority said;
Lame.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:31 pmO.–I do not know of this Bashbush game of which you speak. What are the rule? How many points do you get for kicking a home run?
August 8th, 2007 at 3:32 pmSlow news day…
August 8th, 2007 at 3:32 pmYOUNG WOMAN
When you go on like this, you know what you sound like?
YOUNG MAN
I sound like a sensible man, is what I sound like.
YOUNG WOMAN
August 8th, 2007 at 3:32 pmYou sound like a duck. Quack, quack, quack, quack, quack,quack, quack…
Slow news day…
Comment by Vet — August 8, 2007 @ 3:32 pm
Yup.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:33 pmWatch it Vet! Gregory is going to try to get into your trousers. He’s real sneaky that way.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:35 pmThe Bush bashers are really getting desperate.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:35 pmThey have always been desperate.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:36 pmComment by 186 — August 8, 2007 @ 3:31 pm
Speculation….
Also Lame.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:37 pmDesperate to be noticed by you!
August 8th, 2007 at 3:41 pmMaybe Bush was waiting till later when the the toll rates are reduced.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:50 pmtwo drug abusers that are such valuable models for adults and children.
August 8th, 2007 at 3:51 pmtypical though. republican values at work, hard at work
It’s raining today. I blame Bush!
August 8th, 2007 at 3:51 pmI am no fan of the President…but how about it being 9am on the west coast when he called! I find that to be considerate!!!! This is nuts!
August 8th, 2007 at 3:56 pmI wonder if he called collect?
August 8th, 2007 at 4:02 pmI wonder if the AG was eavesdropping the conversation..
August 8th, 2007 at 4:03 pmOnce again, another ‘yawn’ from TP, but at least deservers a caption.
Caption Contest:
“Yeah, I’m wearing the leopard skin briefs”
August 8th, 2007 at 4:04 pmCaption Contest:
Bush: “Yeah, I usually say ‘Drug Free Since 1974′ - makes a great bumper sticker”
August 8th, 2007 at 4:05 pmWhats ridiculous jonwash, is the President of the United States calling someone who is publically known to be guilty of criminal conduct to, congratulate them.
Now the kids see the president congratulating a man who uses illegal enhancement drugs to win his game, which tells the kids that if they want to win at sports, then they need to take illegal drugs, just like Barry Bonds.
After all, the President says its ok.
August 8th, 2007 at 4:05 pmOne more Caption:
Bush: “Well that’s right Barry, you turn down one drug test and it shouldn’t haunt you the rest of your life - just destroy the records, like Harriet did for me”
August 8th, 2007 at 4:07 pmHis phone call says its ok.
August 8th, 2007 at 4:07 pmFinally:
Bush: “Well I guess now the record’s yours, I guess you can look forward to your balls dropping again, eh, Barry?”
August 8th, 2007 at 4:08 pmCaption Contest: “so do they really, heh heh,…. you know…. make your pecker shrivel up….? … heh heh…”
August 8th, 2007 at 4:09 pmCaption Contest: “yea but do you have any that can make someone smarter?”
August 8th, 2007 at 4:10 pmThats right steroids bad, got to protect our children. Remember all you idiots out there. MLB did not have any policy against steroid use when the Barry Bond accusations occurred. I don’t think he has taken them for quite a few years yet he is still the most feared hitter. If steroid use equated to more home runs, then the governor of California would be the all time leader.
August 8th, 2007 at 4:43 pmUh, I hate to state the obvious but noon IS 9am here in sunny California.
August 8th, 2007 at 4:45 pmI love me some T.P. but as a sports or political story, this is painfully weak.
It’s a damn shame Bush can’t cop some drugs to enhance his performance.
August 8th, 2007 at 4:52 pmI think Bush should have completely ignored him and not called at all. Because of his steroid use, Bonds’s “record” is bogus and tainted.
August 8th, 2007 at 4:57 pmFrom on criminal to another….
“Heck of a job Barry!”
August 8th, 2007 at 4:57 pmBush: “Hi Barry. This President Bush … Congratualtions.”
Bonds: ” …. President WHO ??? … ”
Bush: (mumbles) ” … ah c’mon, Barry … for crying out loud … “
August 8th, 2007 at 5:03 pmBush was asleep by the time he would have been able to call Bonds last evening. It was very LATE on the east coast.
If Bush had called Bonds early today, Bonds would have been asleep. It was very EARLY on the west coast.
Calling him after noon today seems about right.
August 8th, 2007 at 5:24 pm“”It was after noon before the president finally called, spending about three minutes on the phone.†Why the delay?”
Cause it was only 9 am in San Francisco dumbasses!
August 8th, 2007 at 6:17 pmWhy doesn’t Little Lord Pissypants have to testify before Congress? After all, he was part-owner of the Texas Rangers. He KNOWS EXACTLY where the steroids are coming from and what’s behind it. While we’re at it, why don’t we ask him why he’s pumping up our military with the shit.
Nevermind.
August 8th, 2007 at 6:34 pmMSNBC’s Olbermann-moderated debate Tues. night averages less than one million viewers! Only 914,000 tune-in… Lowest rated debate of the 2007 political season
So much for the ratings geting Olbermann
August 8th, 2007 at 6:38 pmI’m a Bigfoot. Different creature. You can ask my wife and past girlfriends if the old adage about fellows with big feet holds true….
Comment by O. Bigfoot — August 8, 2007 @ 3:27 pm
They’ve already been here, Little Foot…
August 8th, 2007 at 7:14 pmMSNBC’s Olbermann-moderated debate Tues. night averages less than one million viewers!
Comment by chris — August 8, 2007 @ 6:38 pm
Just out of curiosity, how does a one time event “average†less than a million viewers?
I mean, to take an “averageâ€, don’t you need more events? Jes askin’… that’s all..
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — August 8, 2007 @ 7:09 pm
August 8th, 2007 at 7:16 pmI don’t think he has taken them for quite a few years yet he is still the most feared hitter.
Comment by michael — August 8, 2007 @ 4:43 pm
“… still the most feared hitter”??? Clearly, you don’t follow baseball.
August 8th, 2007 at 7:18 pmBut he’ll never have time to attend a soldier’s funeral.
August 8th, 2007 at 7:20 pmThe Bush bashers are really getting desperate.
Comment by Red Black — August 8, 2007 @ 3:35 pm
Yeah, all 70% plus of us, including such noted conservatives as Bruce Fein, Lamarr Odom, and John Dean.
August 8th, 2007 at 7:28 pmBush can rest easy. He adds legitimacy to nothing! In fact, just the opposite is true!
August 8th, 2007 at 8:22 pmcongrats to barry on an awesome achievement. “they” have been investigating him for how long now? over five, six years and STILL can’t nail him on anything? mitchell and his gang of witchhunters should investigate cops on steroids…which is a scarier scenario…
August 9th, 2007 at 2:36 am