Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 1:00 AM UTC
Obama’s big blunder
He ducks a question about whether he'd invite Barry Bonds to the White House when he breaks the home run record.
Topics: 2008 Elections, Politics News
OK, I’m on record as a Barry Bonds fan. Not a completely blind Bonds fan, as I used to be, but even I admit my judgment could be clouded here. Still, I’m pretty clear about it: I think Barack Obama’s decision to duck Keith Olbermann’s question about whether he’d invite Barry Bonds to the White House when he breaks baseball’s home run record was one of his biggest political blunders yet.
It was a tough question: Say no, and he’ll alienate a lot of black voters, who tend to think as I do that there’s an element of racism in the crusade against Bonds. (Yes, I know Hank Aaron is black, but the enmity predates Bonds chasing Aaron, and predates even the steroid rumors.) Say yes, and he’ll alienate a whole lot of sports fans who hate Bonds. Say “he hasn’t done it yet; we’ll answer the question when it comes,” and you look like a typical politician ducking a question that requires courage, and it can’t help costing you support.
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