Dodging the boo birds

The Washington Nationals open their season today. Where's the president?

Published April 2, 2007 3:43PM (EDT)

The Washington Nationals have their home opener at 1:05 p.m. today, but George W. Bush won't be there to throw out the first pitch. Could it be that the White House wants to avoid a repeat of last year's home opener -- the one where Dick Cheney was greeted with a loud chorus of boos even before he bounced the first pitch?

No, of course not.

White House spokeswoman Emily Lawrimore tells the Washington Post that Bush was invited to do the honors this year, but that "it's not possible with his schedule" because he's got "various meetings during the day, a meeting earlier in the morning. . . . It just wasn't going to work out."

Ah, yes, we see.

The president's schedule for today, courtesy of the White House communications office:

11 a.m., EDT: The president participates in a Meeting on Health Savings Accounts, The White House, Washington, DC.

2:35 p.m., EDT: The president presents the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy to the United States Naval Academy Football Team, The White House, Washington, DC.


By Tim Grieve

Tim Grieve is a senior writer and the author of Salon's War Room blog.

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