Baseball owners work hard to keep Bush at bat

[Kadie]

Baseball owners work hard to keep Bush at bat

By FREDERIC J. FROMMER, Associated Press


Last Updated: September 13, 2004, 05:00:52 AM PDT


WASHINGTON (AP) - Baseball owners once passed up a chance to hire former colleague George W. Bush as the sport's commissioner, but now they're working hard to keep Bush at bat in the White House.

More than a dozen current and former owners and family members are among the president's top re-election fund-raisers, an Associated Press review found. Seven are Bush "Rangers," each raising at least $200,000, and six are "Pioneers" who have brought in $100,000 or more.

The Bush campaign has also received direct contributions from owners and executives of more than half of the sport's 30 teams, the AP analysis of Federal Election Commission reports found.

Those include $2,000 contributions from owners George Steinbrenner of the New York Yankees, Fred Wilpon of the New York Mets, Carl Pohlad of the Minnesota Twins, Peter Magowan of the San Francisco Giants and Michael Ilitch of the Detroit Tigers.

Democratic nominee John Kerry, by contrast, has taken in money from only a handful of baseball interests.

more...
http://www.modbee.com/24hour/politics/story/1647024p-9372787c.html

[LTR]

1. Bush's baseball cronies

They're an old boys network, and quite a few of them were around when Bush owned the Rangers.

Another reason to hate Bud Selig: He wanted to stay on as commissioner, while Bush's name was being bandied about for the job. If Bud had left, Bush could have gotten the job, and would not be President. He would just be destroying baseball, as opposed to our country.

On the bright side, if he really screwed up baseball, he could have gone the way of Fay Vincent, and his political career would be dead in the water.

[President Jesus]

6. Selig is a Dem, not a Bush supporter

Bud Selig
http://www.newsmeat.com/fec/bystate_detail.php?st=WI&last=Selig&first=Allan

Frank McCourt (Dodgers)
http://www.newsmeat.com/fec/bystate_detail.php?st=MA&last=McCourt&first=Frank

[LTR]

8. Well, Bud could have taken one for the country and stepped down

I'd rather have Bush as MLB Commissioner than President. Unless he starts sending players to fight in Iraq.

[geek tragedy]

2. Super rich people vote Republican.

Same thing would hold true for any sport. Let's not start trashing baseball because rich people vote Republican.

[LTR]

4. Well, if you look at the NBA...

...lots of those guys support Democrats.

NBA Commissioner David Stern is a big donor. Bill Bradley had a lot to do with getting the NBA on board.

[geek tragedy]

5. I can guarantee that a lot are Repubs too.

The only way I see it filtering onto the field are Steinbrenner's obnovious jingoistic stunts during the seventh inning stretch.

[President Jesus]

7. Steinbrenner plays it down the middle

...but does support *
http://www.newsmeat.com/fec/bystate_detail.php?last=Steinbrenner&first=George

[geek tragedy]

10. Going to Yankee games in the Stadium

leaves no doubt that Steinbrenner is pulling for W.

Remember--Cheney was his guest when he got booed at the Stadium.

[shaolinmonkey]

3. Great. So the public can continue to build stadiums for ungrateful

millionaire players and their conteptable owners. What does a state-of-the-art stadium in Milwaukee bring you? The same thing the old one did. A last place team. The only difference is, you can't afford to watch them stink up the joint.

[drbtg1]

9. The article said Red Sox co-owner Tom Werner gave to Kerry

Since Steinbrenner gave to Bush, it gives a slightly interesting spin to the whole Red Sox-Yankees rivalry.

I guess I gotta say...GO RED SOX! ;)

[President Jesus]

12. here's a record of Werner's donations

http://www.newsmeat.com/fec/bystate_detail.php?st=CA&last=Werner&first=Thomas

[redsoxliberal]

13. yes, the reds sox rule!!!!

[Thrill]

11. I'm suprised by George

I thought he was a DEM. I know he's good friends with Bob Graham. Oh well