Would Bush pardon Roger Clemens?
Would Bush pardon Roger Clemens?
Longtime trainer Brian McNamee has accused pitcher Roger Clemens of taking performance-enhancing drugs in 1998, 2000, and 2001. Clemens has denied these charges under oath. Yesterday, one of McNamee’s lawyers took a slap at the Bush administration and said that even if Clemens is found guilty of lying, he may receive a presidential pardon:
“It would be a prospective pardon,” Emery, one of the lawyers for Clemens accuser Brian McNamee, said Thursday. “They’re perfectly legal and it would be typical of the George Bush White House. We’d expect Bush to call Clemens a ‘historic figure’ who has done so much for this country and then let him off.“
Clemens’s lawyer, Rusty Hardin, denied that his client would be found guilty of anything and added that Bush has “more pressing things on his plate than steroids.”
UPDATE: Former President George H.W. Bush’s spokesman confirmed that the former president supports Clemens’ efforts to clear his name. “President Bush called Roger,” Bush’s spokesman told Newsday. “They are very friendly.”
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I thought there was no crying in baseball.
By the way, if you’ve watched any of this, you’ll see the Republicans on the panel are all siding with Clemens and the Democrats are believing McNamee.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:08 amIf that were to happen, I would leave the Republican Party and work
February 15th, 2008 at 11:08 amtirelessly to elect Democrats to office.
Yes, Badmoonman, I did see that….I may yet leave the GOP for that disgraceful display!
February 15th, 2008 at 11:09 amIf that were to happen, I would leave the Republican Party and work
tirelessly to elect Democrats to office.
Comment by Exley — February 15, 2008 @ 11:08 am
…and you know I’m going to hold you to that!
February 15th, 2008 at 11:09 amthe whole country has “more pressing things … than steroids.â€
and yet…
February 15th, 2008 at 11:10 amWould Bush pardon Roger Clemens?
I dunno, but can we “water board” him to make sure he isn’t lying?
February 15th, 2008 at 11:10 amWell Ex, I guess we’ve found your tipping point on outrageous behavior by this president.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:12 amOh, no worries, DRxJ! This is much I can tolerate and forgive…But pardoning Roger Clemens? Never!
By the way, Dr. did you read ESPN’s baseball preview?
Most Improved AL Team = Detroit Tigers
Most Improved NL Team = New York Mets
See you in October, DRxJ!
February 15th, 2008 at 11:12 amBaseball sucks. It’s the only “sport” where you can cram 15 minutes of action into a 2 hour game. WTF is our government involved in this sport for in the first place (unique protected status)? Market intervention. Did this dude get caught with illegal drugs? If so, throw his ass in with all of the other drug offenders (what a waste of money that is), and move on to the real issues.
How ’bout dem Yankees?
Who gives a sh!t.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:14 amPARDON THE CHEATING LYING TEXAS ATHLETE
PAR FOR THE COURSE!
makes me puke
clemens doesnt deserve hall of fame
February 15th, 2008 at 11:15 am#10: Baseball sucks. It’s the only “sport†where you can cram 15 minutes of action into a 2 hour game.
– - Ya think so, huh? Put a stopwatch on a football game sometime. Average plays per game, about 135. How long is each play? Do the math.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:18 am“Clemens’s lawyer, Rusty Hardin, denied that his client would be found guilty of anything and added that Bush has ‘more pressing things on his plate than steroids.’ ”
So he wouldn’t want a pardon just in case?
February 15th, 2008 at 11:19 amWho gives a shit? We’re pissing away our blood and treasure in Iraq, giving up our civil liberties and Congress is getting it’s panties in a bunch over a baseball player who makes millions a year taking drugs … big f&%king deal.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:19 amFu(k football, too.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:20 am#12 Badmoonman,
Agreed! Don’t get me wrong, I love football, but there is SO much dead-time in the game (especially with the absurd, please-get-rid-of-it instant replay rule)….
Whereas, in baseball, each pitch is action. Each swing of the bat….It’s a BEAUTIFUL game!
February 15th, 2008 at 11:20 amSee you in October, DRxJ!
Comment by Exley — February 15, 2008 @ 11:12 am
Sorry, OFF TOPIC, I know, but man, I hope so.
Let’s have an early wager.
Which ever team wins, the other must send a 6 pack of their local brew.
Sound good?
(Again TP, my apologies for being off topic)
February 15th, 2008 at 11:21 amI’m honestly not sure he would. Although there have been allegations that Bush’s players were taking steroids during the time he managed the MLB team, it doesn’t seem like Bush himself has ever had anything but contempt for players who take steroids. I believe Bush is, if nothing else, an actual fan of the game. And this steroid scandal is the worst thing to happen to the game in a long time.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:23 amDRxJ, You have a bet! (And, I assume, if neither team wins the World Series, the bet is off…Correct?)
Here is what you could win, DRxJ:
http://www.brooklynbrewery.com/
February 15th, 2008 at 11:25 amWhereas, in baseball, each pitch is action. Each swing of the bat….It’s a BEAUTIFUL game!
Comment by Exley — February 15, 2008 @ 11:20 am
Yes. Baseball is a fascinating game, while football and basketball? Feh.
Also, baseball is a game played by human bodies in all their variation: tall ones, short ones, fit ones, and fat ones. Football and basketball can only be played on a professional basis by genetic freaks.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:28 amSorry, I may be in the minority, but I think as for action, you can’t beat hockey.
Hey Ex, here’s our local brewery. I’ll send you some Oberon, the best summer wheat ale, and my all time favorite beer!
http://www.bellsbeer.com/
and yes, not Mets or Tigers championship, no beer :-(
February 15th, 2008 at 11:31 amMarcus: Fu(k football, too.
- – We’ve found our curling fan.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:31 amBaseball sucks.
Comment by Marcus Aurelius
I agree. Chewing tobacco and enhanced muscles is not what I would call a sport.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:34 amIt’s not the steroids that will get Clemens in trouble, its all the perjuring he’s doing.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:34 amIf he gave the right amount of $ to gop campaigns, he’ll get his pardon.
If he didn’t……..well, too bad Roger.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:35 amBTW, I find interesting that these sportsmen/women go to jail or are punished FOR LYING UNDER OATH and not FOR CHEATING.
This tells a lot of this so called culture of winning.
It’s not bad to cheat, just to lie about it.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:36 amMarcus: Fu(k football, too.
- – We’ve found our curling fan.
Comment by Badmoodman
first off Quidditch is the only real sport left.
Second: who cares? Baseball the kid’s game is great fun, baseball the business sucks the life out of communities and distracts us from the real issues of the day.
Third off; anyone who saw Clemens throw that splintered bat a Piazza a few years back knows he had a little roid rage going that day.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:37 amHere is what you could win, DRxJ:
http://www.brooklynbrewery.com/
Comment by Exley — February 15, 2008 @ 11:25 am
DrxJ, you’re screwed. For whatever reason, NYC is a desert for brewing and Brooklyn is the best they can do — and it’s none too good.
No Bell’s, in other words.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:41 amIf you really want action, check Australian Rules Football. I sh!t you not. If you’ve never seen it, don’t flame me. Watch one game, and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
Anyway, my point isn’t really about sport. It’s about fiddling while Rome burns.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:43 amWow, a lot of hatred for professional sports in here. Some people do take them too seriously, but if you watch them for fun and don’t get too serious, they’re alright.
I’m not a believer in ‘roid rage’ but to see this guy continue to pitch like he’s been pitching at his age is telling that there is clearly something else going on there. Natural talent would take him so far, but I don’t believe he can still be pitching like he is at his age. BUT, if he wants to take some HGH and extend his career, so be it. Just don’t lie on the stand about doing it. But wait, if he admits do doing it after HGH was banned in MLB he won’t get in the hall of fame!!
February 15th, 2008 at 11:43 amIf he gave the right amount of $ to gop campaigns, he’ll get his pardon.
If he didn’t……..well, too bad Roger.
Comment by tombaker — February 15, 2008 @ 11:35 am
He’s a Texas boy, and apparently good buddies with George’s dad.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:44 amGummitch:
“DrxJ, you’re screwed. For whatever reason, NYC is a desert for brewing ”
I take umbrage, sir!!!!
February 15th, 2008 at 11:45 amHall of Fame…another shining piece of crap.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:45 am#21 DRxJ,
I like hockey too….Go Islanders!!!!
February 15th, 2008 at 11:46 amWho gives a flying f_ck?
February 15th, 2008 at 11:48 amBTW, funny how Ex’s mind works:
Clemens being pardoned = turns Democrat.
Shock and Awe, Habeas Corpus, Waterboarding, Abu Ghraib, Aluminum Tubes = confirms his Republican faith.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:49 amHey, Zoo…it’s been a while. :)
February 15th, 2008 at 11:50 amI take umbrage, sir!!!!
Comment by Exley — February 15, 2008 @ 11:45 am
I have a couple of serious beergeek buddies either currently or recently living in New York. One of them worked at a really good beer/cheese place in Brooklyn(?) and both of them know their stuff. “Local beer” just blows in NYC–which makes little sense to me, given how great the beer scene is in other parts of the Mid-Atlantic and New England.
Detroit isn’t exactly a beer Mecca, but it’s still better than your hometown. No offense.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:50 amThe Bushco Spin Boys are asleep at the switch on this one. They haven’t (yet) accused the House Oversight and Government Reform committee, and Democratic chairman Henry Waxman specifically, of jeopardizing the entire sport and business of baseball, destroying this great American past time, admitting defeat and casting doubt on all the great baseball players and games of the past, and placing the entire sport and all its owners and fans and stadiums at great risk of a terrorist attack and/or economic ruin, or both, by this political theater of unnecessary and unwarranted hearings.
Sorry – I guess I’m just so attuned to their knee-jerk rhetoric on anything Congress does.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:51 amI like hockey too….Go Islanders!!!!
Comment by Exley — February 15, 2008 @ 11:46 am
Hmmm… Mets fan, Islanders fan, Brooklyn Brewery fan… I may have to take back some of those mean things I said about you.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:56 amI like hockey too….Go Islanders!!!!
Comment by Exley — February 15, 2008 @ 11:46 am
Go RedWings!
Who gives a flying f_ck?
Comment by Zooey — February 15, 2008 @ 11:48 am
exactly! That’s why this thread has become a male dominated, testosterone filled, pi$$ing match! But with beer references! mmmmmmm beeeeer!
I really could care less if Bush pardoned Clemens, or not. I could care less if HGH inhance Roger’s ability. I do care about the situation in Iraq, and I do care that the government supports torture!
February 15th, 2008 at 11:56 amThis entire subject is retarded.
February 15th, 2008 at 12:02 pmI really could care less if Bush pardoned Clemens, or not. I could care less if HGH inhance Roger’s ability. I do care about the situation in Iraq, and I do care that the government supports torture!
Comment by DRxJ
I think in a way they are related. Let me explain.
The reasons some of the trolls here give to not leave Iraq besides their racist position that Iraq can’t handle itself, is that leaving means losing and surrending.
In this plastic culture, winning has become everything. We call scoring to have sexual relations with girls. If you don’t win, you are a loser, and losers don’t get laid, don’t drive fast cars, don’t talk cool, and don’t have money to throw parties or drink beer at happy hours.
Winning is more important than other values, like justice, fair competition, and even human life. When the Olympics begin, it was about honorable competition and the joy of human civilization. Now it is a Nike vs Adidas fight, with forbidden drugs in the middle.
Sad.
February 15th, 2008 at 12:04 pmsports have destroyed the public school system
It used to be about charactor building……now it is win at all costs. Anyone who thinks the steroid use does not start in high school……pushed by your local coaches is blind by choice.
Schools are all businesses and their economy is based on their sports program…….compare money spent on stadiums, etc. with money spent on labs, computers, etc…….
no wonder we are so far behind.
February 15th, 2008 at 12:04 pmgiven how great the beer scene is in other parts of the Mid-Atlantic and New England.
Detroit isn’t exactly a beer Mecca, but it’s still better than your hometown. No offense.
Comment by gummitch — February 15, 2008 @ 11:50 am
The Mid-Atlantic region is quite good for beer-geeks. Old Dominion is a consistently superlative brewery.
And why do we use the term “beer Mecca,” anyhow? Somehow I doubt Mecca is much of a beer town. The climate’s all wrong for brewing, water’s too expensive, and about the only place to buy it is on the black market.
February 15th, 2008 at 12:04 pmComment by Dr. Matt — February 15, 2008 @ 11:57 am
Memo to the Rocket: When you find yourself in a hole, the first step is to quit digging.
February 15th, 2008 at 12:05 pmBush could pull some strings by contacting God and have him do the dirty work.
February 15th, 2008 at 12:11 pmI doubt Clemens goes to prison here. I’m beginning to suspect he did do something wrong, mostly due to the absurdity of his denials. I don’t care.
Much like McGwire, both the Rocket and Flaxseed (Bonds) will pay their price when they don’t get into the Hall. So it goes.
This will be remembered as the ‘Roids Era in baseball history. Kind of a self-inflicted wound, no? And symptomatic of what’s gone wrong in this country over the last 20 years or so. Both Roger and Barry would have still had fabulous careers w/out “additives”. They both would have gone to the Hall. They just… got… greedy.
We have much bigger fish to fry… now, if only a personal trainer would come forth and testify about shooting BigDick up w/ ‘roids…
Saaaay… where’d JK and his rants go?
February 15th, 2008 at 12:13 pm31 – still comes down to $, even for those “from the right places”. remember, they are backbiting righty cannibals after all.
February 15th, 2008 at 12:13 pmComment by Juan C. — February 15, 2008 @ 12:04 pm
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — February 15, 2008 @ 12:13 pm
Fantastic comments, my friends.
February 15th, 2008 at 12:47 pmWhich brings us to another sport’s uproar:
February 15th, 2008 at 12:54 pmSpygate!
for those not in the know, the New England Patriots have been accused of videotaping opponent’s practices, and thus stealing their “signals”, which they benefit from during the actual game, because they know what play is to be ran.
(the following was stolen from a current MSNBC sports headline. I did not come up with it)
Why are Americans okay that we can be spied upon, unsupervised and without the proper legalities, yet have a hissy fit when it involves football? Why is a congressman so concerned about the football aspect, yet voted for the Patriot Act?
Curious, no?
It’s the age of the Unitary Baseball Player. Rule of law doesn’t apply to Unitary Presidents or their friends.
February 15th, 2008 at 12:55 pmCurious, no?
Comment by DRxJ — February 15, 2008 @ 12:54 pm
I noticed that too, DRxJ. Extremely annoying, I’d say.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:04 pmNot that it matters, but here goes:
If I were Roger Clemens, and I were truly innocent, I’d be really pissed off at this talk about a pardon. I’d want to PROVE that I did nothing wrong, not have some interfering politician handing me a pardon for something I never did.
Just my 2 cents.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:05 pmPretty good 2 cents, Z.
The trainer claims to have syringes used on Roger in his possession. They get around to testing said needles, and find both Roger’s blood and HGH on them, the Rocket’s going down, metaphorically speaking.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:09 pmNot that it matters, but here goes:
If I were Roger Clemens, and I were truly innocent, I’d be really pissed off at this talk about a pardon. I’d want to PROVE that I did nothing wrong, not have some interfering politician handing me a pardon for something I never did.
Just my 2 cents.
Comment by Zooey
oh come on……….he’s guilty as sin……this is as common as drinking coffee…..they all did it and are still doing whatever they can to cheat…..it’s the American way if you hadn’t noticed. Where do you think the bush’s got thier ideas? Cheating is accepted as long as you don’t get caught……that’s what sports in America is teaching our children and bush has verified it.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:10 pmAny way you chop that onion, Rog prolly ain’t makin’ the Hall, at least fer a couple ‘o decades, until the stink fades away.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:13 pmsports have destroyed the public school system
It used to be about charactor building……now it is win at all costs. Anyone who thinks the steroid use does not start in high school……pushed by your local coaches is blind by choice.
Schools are all businesses and their economy is based on their sports program…….compare money spent on stadiums, etc. with money spent on labs, computers, etc…….
no wonder we are so far behind.
Comment by Fred — February 15, 2008 @ 12:04 pm
This is why I am getting my degree from Metropolitan State College of Denver. Football team? None. We do have a basketball team. Guess where they play? Our student fitness center. We do have a volleyball team (and some of those girls are hawt). Guess where they play. Yep. Same place as the basketball team. We have plenty of intramural activity. Our athletes? All here for the same reason — to get their degree and get into the real world, and not the glitzy celebrity world of pro sports. And all of our athletes (including the hawt volleyball playing girls…) are down-to-earth and not full of themselves.
A big change from LSU and the glitzy $port$ playing celebritie$ who can’t wait to $pend all those dollar$ when they hit it big.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:40 pmComment by Fred — February 15, 2008 @ 1:10 pm
Fred, I have very little doubt that Clemens did this thing, I’m just looking at it from Clemens’ point of view — and his “belief” in his innocence.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:50 pmway too much time and attention devoted to jockstrap millionaires these days.
clemens should matter about as much as britney, and neither should matter much.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:55 pmJust guessing here, but a similar pardon for Barry Bonds?
you’re joking, right?
By the way, didja see Jon Stewart’s take on it last night? Roger was lying like a persian rug…he was working his tongue like a pit-viper
February 15th, 2008 at 2:01 pmJeremy in Denver
I have notice that some universities have moved away from the sports nightmare…much to thier credit……doesn’t save our children in public school though…..
zooey
February 15th, 2008 at 2:01 pmI understand your evenhandedness……
I’m just tired of cutting the atheletes slack….sorry but clemens has had a good life and all he did to deserve it was play baseball….insufficient.
#40…Toasterhead,
Politics are transitory. Sports, New York (and alcohol) loyalties are forever.
February 15th, 2008 at 2:34 pmAs far as a pardon goes, do you think Chimpy would do it for the Gipper?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gipper
February 15th, 2008 at 2:39 pm#8 Gummitch,
No offense taken…Actually, I am not a huge beer aficionado. So, I defer to your friends’ expertise.
February 15th, 2008 at 2:47 pmIn America today, black is white, up is down, whatever the issue, whatever the law, the Bush administration will try and circumvent, lie, or outright break it. In what way can anyone consider the cheaters Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, or Floyd Landis heroes? They deliberately cheated in order to be better than those they compete with, who didn’t take performance enhancing drugs.
It’s of no surprise whatsoever that Bush supports this behavior, the two are birds of a feather.
February 15th, 2008 at 2:55 pmPeople are dying in Iraq and Afeganistan and they are feeding the public with this sort of ‘news’…
February 15th, 2008 at 3:06 pm“People are dying in Iraq and Afeganistan and they are feeding the public with this sort of ‘news’…
Comment by sacopenapa — February 15, 2008 @ 3:06 pm”
Are you saying the only thing people should pay attention to is politics and world affairs? I guarantee the suicide rate would rise at a staggering rate.
February 15th, 2008 at 3:38 pmHmm, I agree with SM. I had better go take my temperature.
February 15th, 2008 at 3:40 pmComment by Southern Man
as usual….you missed the whole point of the post that you quoted……that’s ok though…I don’t really care what you think.
For others, it was about cheating to get ahead and how the bush admin is similar to baseball players and atheletes in general in this regard.
February 15th, 2008 at 3:49 pmWho cares? Everyone knows pro sports is just a big business which serves as somma for the mass. I personally find baseball to be the most boring of them all. What next, will we learn thsse hillbillies driving around in cricles to the left are “enhanced” as well? Oh yeah, do you all still really think Wonderbread boy Lance Armstrong is clean too? Pick real heros not boys playing games
February 15th, 2008 at 3:54 pmComment by dbadass
is that what sports in high school is supposed to be about? Are not Clemens et al supposed to be role models for our children? I think it goes a little deeper than you suggest.
February 15th, 2008 at 3:57 pmI have never suggested sport figures should be heros to youth. I’d rather we set the bar higher. Kids that like sports look to sports for idols which I do not think are the same as heros. The idea that sports and spoorts role models keep high school kids on the straight and narrow is so not substantiated by data
February 15th, 2008 at 4:07 pmBut not Bonds, naturally.
February 15th, 2008 at 5:50 pm