President Trump is right to attend a World Series game, but he is wrong to hedge on throwing out the first pitch. Sports is one of the last few bastions of bipartisanship in the nation’s capital. The president should embrace the opportunity.
Pledging on Thursday that he will attend Nationals Park for Sunday’s potential fifth game, Trump joked about why he might avoid throwing out the first pitch. It’s because the Secret Service bulletproof vest he’ll wear entails “a lot of heavy armor.” The implication: it will be a struggle to throw a strike.
Sorry, Mr. President, that’s not good enough. The Nationals, presently leading the series 2-0, can save Trump’s pride if they sweep the Houston Astros by winning Friday and Saturday’s games. But if it goes to a fifth game, Trump has got to step up.
Figuratively and literally.
This isn’t to say that Trump’s qualms about the body armor are exaggerated. While the Secret Service develops custom-made bulletproof clothing for the president and attempts to offer a comfort factor greater than that afforded to standard protective clothing, these outfits are heavier and less comfortable than normal clothing. When you’re facing a mix of boos and cheers from a packed stadium, the additional weight obviously makes throwing a strike that much harder — as President Barack Obama illustrated.
Obama at least got the ball to the plate. And more importantly, he had the courage to try.
Moreover, Trump loves to remind us of his strength and fitness. And if that’s truly the case, he should have the confidence to match himself up to President George W. Bush. Remember Bush’s Oct. 30, 2001, pitch? As the city and nation struggled to come to terms with the Sept. 11 attacks, Bush found Derek Jeter ribbing his plan to throw from the base of the mound. In good humor, he marched straight to the top of the mound. As his Secret Service detail — some of who were disguised as umpires — watched nervously expecting a possible attack, Bush delivered a gem.
Trump might be a few years older than Bush was in 2001, and he might be surrounded by the specter of impeachment. Still, the president has a chance and a responsibility to show some positive leadership. This country needs all the moments of unity it can get. Trump-at-the-mound would be a good one.
