This is another hard-hitting expose about Gov. Robert Ehrlich.
Actually, the guy doing the hard hitting Wednesday was Ehrlich?s 6-year-old son, Drew, with an aluminum Louisville Slugger in one of their frequent workouts on the front lawn of Government House, the governor?s mansion.
Ehrlich, a notorious jock who captained his football teams in high school and college, said he decided fairly early in his administration that “I?m not going to miss those years” of playing catch with his son, so he tries to do it almost every day.
As governor, it helps that he works across the street from home.
Drew gives every sign of following in his father?s athletic footsteps. “He?s the only 6-year-old who knows every pattern in the playbook,” brags the governor, as Drew snags quite a few of the passes.
When Drew is asked the burning question: Do you like this or does he make you do it? Drew, making some rotating hand gestures like a football ref calling a penalty, said,
“Half and half.”
“Ah, come on,” his father chides.
But Drew does have to catch at least 10 passes in order to get dinner. Same with the baseball.
He plays with Cape St. Clare Red Sox baseball team. “Uncle” Greg Massoni, Ehrlich?s press secretary, said that “when you go to the game, he clearly stands out.”
The governor, out of Drew?s hearing, confides that the games are quite a hoot, since “nobody can field or catch.”
Father and son exchange some words in a huddle about the NFL draft. “He was concerned about the quarterback situation,” the elder Ehrlich said.
After Drew whacks some balls into a backstop, the Ehrlichs head to the basketball half-court on the back patio. They shoot some baskets, trying some trick shots. “He owes me about $400,” Ehrlich says.
“No, I don?t,” Drew counters.
Drew shows fairly impressive dribbling and footwork, and scores about half his baskets. “No dinner for you,” taunts the governor.
“No dinner for you, ?cause you?re going to lose,” Drew responds, clearly accepting no dissing on the court.
After both Ehrlichs had worked up a sweat, and with three chefs in the nearby kitchen, neither of them looked like they were skipping dinner.
