Is Anyone Sitting In That Seat?

He gets the best seat in the house...free.

He doesn't have to worry about traffic.

For some reason, President Bush has yet to execute a key duty of his office--the tossing out of the ceremonial first pitch of the 2007 baseball season.

The hometown Washington Nationals were at R-F-K this week opening against the Florida Marlins, yet the Commander in Chief was a no-show.

The Baltimore Orioles are close by--at least to someone with helicopter access. Oh, wait--they're not home until next week. Maybe the President can do a belated first-pitch at Camden Yards.

Then again, maybe the President isn't in a baseball frame of mind--or at least, in a mood to enjoy the national past time amongst we, the unwashed.

Ticketmaster doesn't ask if you're Republican or Democrat, meaning Mr. Bush stands the risk of being exposed to a bipartisan crowd if he decides to take in a fray. And, me thinks that with approval ratings like Wisconsin temperatures this week (in the low 30's), there's a good chance he could get HIS BRAINS BOOED OUT.

He's not the first Chief Exec to bail--Bill Clinton missed his last four Opening Days, which came at the height of Monica-gate and impeachment. Ronald Reagan only did three in eight years, although he had a pretty good excuse in 1981 being on the D-L with a gunshot wound to the chest and all.

Nixon? Skipped '71 and '72 as anti-war sentiment hit a fever-pitch (get it?) and also took a pass in '74 as Watergate entered it's final innings.

Lyndon Johnson threw out his last ceremonial pitch in 1967...he was lame-duckin' by the time baseball returned to the nation's capitol in '68, having just announced his decision not to seek another term the month before.

Maybe Mr. Bush is just too darn busy to pull himself away from the massive burdens of his office to fling a sphere, down a dog, and sing "Take Me Out To The Ballgame."

The President is workin' it this week, chiding Congress about it's Iraq war funding measures, telling Senators and Representatives that they shouldn't be taking time off when our troops need the cash included in those bills. He said it's no time for Congress to be on spring break.

He then got ready to head to his ranch in Crawford, Texas, for the Easter holiday.

The President still has a chance to get his obligation in--the Astros open their home slate this weekend in Houston, while the Rangers are in Arlington.

Why do I think he'll be watching on the tube?