WP: McCain Threatens Baseball Over Drugs

[kskiska]

Ariz. Senator Wants Stricter SteroidPolicy

By Dana Milbank and Thomas Heath

Saturday, December 4, 2004; Page A01

As Major League Baseball's steroid scandal widened to include the sport's most prolific active home run hitter, Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) said yesterday that he will introduce legislation imposing drug-testing standards on professional athletes if baseball players and owners do not adopt a stringent crackdown on steroids by January.

In the wake of the disclosure that San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds used substances provided him by a trainer who has been indicted in a steroid distribution ring, McCain, in an interview, gave baseball until next month to adopt the more stringent drug testing requirements of minor league baseball or face federal action.

"Major league baseball players and owners should meet immediately to enact the standards that apply to the minor leagues, and if they don't, I will have to introduce legislation that says professional sports will have minimum standards for testing," McCain said after returning from a European trip late yesterday. "I'll give them until January, and then I'll introduce legislation."

Under the threat of federal intervention, Major League Baseball officials promised rapid action to impose stringent drug testing.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33702-2004Dec3.html

[lcordero]

1. I wish McCain would get his own priorities straight n/t

[joeybee12]

2. Even though I think McCain is right because baseball won't do anything

unless forced to, I wish he'd just shut the fuck up.

[saigon68]

28. He is a TOOL of the GAMBLING INDUSTRY

That is the only reason why he gives a shit if someone pops a pill or smokes a joint.

We have to keep the playing field level for PROFESSIONAL GAMBLERS and the CASINOS where they hang out.

[AliciaKeyedUp]

38. Lots of people care beyond gambling

[pokercat999]

33. After the last selection I have

come to the conclusion that McCain is a coward. He spent the required time under Bush's desk, after what Bush did to him is SC in 2000. I do a mental "spit" every time I think his name.

[0007]

39. I think there are many other issues that are more important

than monitoring and making legislation over jocks. I also think the smear campaign junior did on McCain in South Carolina is far more devastating to our country than a game full of dopes.


The biggest dope of them all, bar none!!

[mountainvue]

54. I agree. There are far more important things

than worrying about a bunch of overpaid spoiled brats who want to take steroids.
We're at war. This story seems like just another diversion to me. Nothing will ever really get done about it, IMO.

[War Pigs]

62. Baseball is much more important than wholesale slaughter in Iraq.

He's going for a cabinet post.

[russian33]

3. Seriously, there's nothing else the Senate should be concerned with?

How about supplying the troops with enough protection so they can survive? My cousin's friend got shipped off, they have to put bags of sand on the bottom of their truck, cause the 'bomb-proof' bottom of the truck isn't available.

[Massacure]

9. Why need body armour, when you an give those steroids to the troops?

After all steroids and a belief in god are much more effective than body armour.

</sarcasm>

[tanyev]

4. I just hope GW discusses this

nation-threatening crisis in great detail in the next State of the Union address.

:eyes:

[NYC Liberal]

18. He did in his last one.

"To help children make right choices, they need good examples. Athletics play such an important role in our society, but, unfortunately, some in professional sports are not setting much of an example. The use of performance-enhancing drugs like steroids in baseball, football, and other sports is dangerous, and it sends the wrong message -- that there are shortcuts to accomplishment, and that performance is more important than character. So tonight I call on team owners, union representatives, coaches, and players to take the lead, to send the right signal, to get tough, and to get rid of steroids now."

Ugh. Fuck off McCain. How about you fix real problems. Like, um, protecting troops!

[Streetdoc270]

5. I'm glad the Govt will protect us

from drugged up men acting like little boys. I can sleep better now.

[Stinky The Clown]

6. And this would be a matter for the Senate because ....... ?

If fans can't tell the difference between a Cal Ripkin and a Jason Giambi ...........

[bluedeminredstate]

7. With spring training 4 months from now,

and the citizens of Ohio and elsewhere feeling cheated and betrayed by their government, yes, by all means, we should get to the bottom of Jason Giambi's drug use.
Turn it into a Whitewater with an unaccountable prosecutor chasing athletes across the country, sniffing their jock straps and interviweing who they slept with. We need a new hero like Ken Starr now that values are the thing your party says we all care deeply about. Nobody does it better than a sanctimoneous GOP priss.
Knock yourself out John. Your boy's sitting in the WH and you need a diversion from that soul-sucking, integrity-crushing stumping you had to go out and endure.
And to think I once respected this opportunist hack...

[genieroze]

46. LOL. eom

[Skip Intro]

8. I'm a little confused. Do pro-sports (define?) exist at the whim of gov?

Why does Congress have anything to do with it?

[brentspeak]

15. Teddy Roosevelt once threatened a group of U.S. college presidents

that he had summoned to the Oval Office to discuss the turn-of-the-century college football death epidemic "or else". He even brandished his famous wood stick at them as a gesture that he meant business.

The college presidents apparently were scared enough of TR that they immediately instituted new rules designed to lessen serious injuries and
prevent deaths in the college game.

But, of course, TR and no politician has ever really had authority over such matters. I'm pretty sure that still holds for today.

[kalidas]

24. He was one tough Mother

Didn't he shoot a reporter's dog once too? He went to Yellowstone telling the press to give him privacy, but a reporter showed up with his dog anyway. TR shot the dog and ran the reporter out of the park on a rail. Ah, those were the days.

A nice bedtime story for you.

[The Zanti Regent]

36. Oh, how the Republican Party has fallen...

If Teddy Roosevelt were alive today, I'm sure FUCKS NEWS would label him a godless socialist...

[republikkkon]

10. WOW!

"I'll give them until January, and then I'll introduce legislation."

i bet the MLB players are fucking trembling!

:eyes:

[winston61]

11. what a douche bag

Is this all this clown has got to moan about? Hello Johnny, remember the war? Remember the economy? I care about overpaid athletes using drugs as much as I care about the man in the moon. Baseball owners don't care what the players are taking and neither do the fans.

[saigon68]

29. SEE # 28 ABOVE

The criminals who own the GAMBLING INDUSTRY CARE.

Its their life BLOOD to see the sport is clean----- so their customers CONTINUE PLACING BETS

[bunkerbuster1]

49. Well, this douche bag is consistent at least

he was whining about this months ago.

combine all this faux outrage over baseball players' hormonal enhancement with a long-standing grudge match between Barry Bonds and the sports media, and you'll have at least a week-long news cycle of pontification and general stupidity.

[w4rma]

12. Baseball is a game. A GAME. The government should not be getting involved

in games.

[rockedthevoteinMA]

13. WTF!?

What is our gov's obsession with steroids? Can't they focus on the freaking important things?

[Renew Deal]

25. This is important

baseball gets the attention of more people than most social programs. There is a problem with baseball putting known cheaters and drug abusers up as hero's. Baseball isn't willing to do anything about it. Somebody does. The old joke is "what will we tell the children?" It's true in this case. How do you explain to a kid that the biggest players in the game are:

1. cheaters
2. drug abusers
3. lier's (have a look at the testimony)
4. are not going to be punished

That's why the government unfortunately needs to get involved.

[Mike Niendorff]

14. Surfed past Scarborough today, and he was onto this too ...

Topic : "Are there any Heroes left?"

You just can't build the proper attitude of right-wing hero worship until you first clear the decks of any "undesirable" heroes. The Professional Athlete, like the Professional Musician, has grown decadent and weak (cue theme of "Modern Cultural Decay"). The Leader, The Soldier, The Policeman : these will be your heroes from now on (cue theme of "Cultural Purification").

(note : I'd say I'm just being cynical, but Bush actually laid the groundwork for this back during his 2003(?) SOTU address. You just can't make stuff like this up.)


MDN

[Straight Shooter]

16. McCain is addicted to masochism and he's griping about THIS?

"Hey, lookie over here, look at me, yeah, I want to talk about something IMPORTANT!"

F-off, McCain. We know steroids can be dangerous, but you're not the one to be talking about it, you're just a useless skin tag on a chimp.

[Candide]

17. OTC Andro products

prohormones, "pro-steroids" etc will soon be scheduled drugs (H.R. 3866)

also mentioned in the bill , "to provide increased penalties for anabolic steroid offenses near sports facilities"

As I understand this is pretty much a done deal. But what if the MLB won't test......are juiced athletes really a menace to society?

[GainesT1958]

19. This just in...

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, has just revealed information gleaned from highly-placed Pentagon sources that Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld knowlingly injected himself with a combination of steroids, growth hormone and Viagra five different times during the lead-up to and after the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

A spokesman for Rumsfeld vehemently denied the charge by McCain, saying "The Secretary has no knowledge of using any banned substances; while he did indeed inject himself during the first half of 2003, Secretary Rumsfeld thought that only Viagra was in the vials.":eyes:

B-)

[Straight Shooter]

20. I guess that explains the episode where his head swelled up twice its size

No one mentioned it at the time, because no one questions Rum-Dum.

[0007]

41. ....and Elizabeth Dole wants to make viraga illegal after getting

a five hour fuck from Bob

[intheflow]

21. Republican payback?

For the Massachusetts Liberals winning the World Series?!?!

[Jack_DeLeon]

22. WTF? Who really cares about sports, and who cares if they use drugs...

Geez now the government wants to regulate sports? WTF.

More stupid War on Drugs bullshit IMO.

[Renew Deal]

26. More people care about sports

than presidential elections.

No, the gov't doesn't want to regulate sports. Baseball has a problem.
Nothing to do with the war on drugs in this case. This is a steroid problem in baseball that baseball is not willing to deal with.

[Jack_DeLeon]

43. So what if baseball isnt willing to deal with it...

Why should the government deal with it?

So what if my place of employment didnt use drug testing, or it did but didnt really care about the results, should the government get involved in that too?

[Renew Deal]

58. Here is my general answer to your first question.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1044067&mesg_id=1044541&page=

Your place of employment is different than pro sports. Baseball has fans of all ages. It's not right that children and the public in general have to see a bunch of addicts running around. I know they can just turn it off, but it's not that easy and it's not the point. I am not saying that the gov't should get involved in football or something else. Other sports do a much better job and football is especially tough. Baseball doesn't want to take care of it's own business, so someone has to.

[kalidas]

23. McCain's head comes up yet again from under the desk of the Oval Office.

This guy has spent more time under the desk in the Oval Office servicing the president than Monica Lewinsky ever did. He is a god damn dickweed. Hey John, keep Dubya's member in your mouth and shut up!!!

[Renew Deal]

27. McCain is right and I hope they do something

if baseball doesn't act. I don't think a lot of people understand the problem here. The problem is that you have these "athletes" that are trusted and loved by the public. They are supposed to be role models to kids. Many of them are cheaters. Not all, but many and many of the "best." There is no one to punish these guys. Baseball has almost no drug provisions. There is no testing. You can only be punished if you are caught and the use was in the last year. So if baseball is not willing to do anything about it, the gov't should. The gov't is there to protect the people and this is an issue that affects the public. How do you explain to a child that Barry Bonds is a lying sack of shit and that his records came from cheating? And of course, Bonds is not punished for any of it. That's the problem.

[mazzarro]

30. There are more pressing priorities that this crap that McCain is horsing

around with. He should shut the heck up and go answer his master's call!

[Renew Deal]

31. People like to say that.

That there are more pressing priorities. That's true, there are. But I ma not holding my breath on a universal health care plan or him getting troops out of Iraq or a million other issues. This issue is important too. It affects more people than most. If you want to pin the blame, put it on MLB. They are not willing to regulate themselves.

[NNN0LHI]

34. Pin the blame where it belongs

Blame the fans who are still more than willing to spend over a hundred bucks a ticket to watch some drooling dope heads hitting a ball aroung...in between beating the shit out of some spectators. I used to enjoy it, but no more. Baseball is now comparable to professional wrestling. Stop feeding the monster and it will die.

Don

Edit: And shouldn't this thread be in the lounge? Just because some asshole Republican senator interjects himself into a sports problem does not make it important news. Does it?

[Renew Deal]

55. Biden is in on it too.

So theres also an asshole democrat. ;) I think you make a great point and I agree. Baseball is a joke as long as they are not willing to drug test. Basketball had been a joke for a long time anyway. I still think the best professional American league is hockey. It's a very long, very hard season for a real reward. The Stanley Cup. But that's just me.

[Jack_DeLeon]

44. Professional Athletes should not be role models...

I dont think the government should be involved in the sports industry.

I dont care at all about baseball.

IMO Football > Baseball.

That being said if you have a problem with baseball and them using drugs, then dont watch it, and dont give them any funding like buying tickets to games, or buying liscenced products. I certainly dont, and in general it would seem more people are taking that approach.

[Renew Deal]

56. The government does belong in sports and they always have.

You know how they are already in sports? Look at the state boxing commissions. Also look at stadium deals. The local governments are usually involved with that. There are lots of other ways. Athletes shouldn't be role models but they are. Look at all the kids wearing jersey's. Also consider the points I have made earlier in this thread. Baseball is forcing the governments hand.

[mrtibbs]

60. Agreed.

[Massachusetts]

32. Just Say

NO Taxation without Representation. :grr: Just one more Pol who works for US and continues to be sub par at his job performance. Why oh Why do we continue to have these people work for us?:wtf: The EMPLOYEES ARE TAKING OVER THE COMPANY!:nopity:

[GOPBasher]

35. I sort of like McCain, but man, who cares about this issue?

With what's going on in the world today, is this shit really a serious issue?

[AliciaKeyedUp]

40. More people care about this

than most major issues in the world. This is something that directly impacts their lives.

[otohara]

45. Like The Heterosexual Couple Living in Kansas

having to think about those Gay couples living in Mass.

[AliciaKeyedUp]

53. Gay and straight couples and singles

living across the U.S. Are some here so blind to the issues that concern most Americans that they can't see this?

[NuttyFluffers]

37. can we spell "Distraction"?

D-I-S-T-R-A-C-T-I-O-N! I knew that we could!

:grouphug: we're all winners now!

[leesa]

42. This is not important traitor. What about the US war crimes? What about

the fraudulent elections? What about rampant poverty? What about no jobs? What about no health coverage?

God, I hate this man!

[genieroze]

47. I think BB player should strike until politicians learn to shut

their self righteous fat mouths and clean up their own messes. MYOFB McCommie, you Bush butt licker.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

48. Maybe MLB should be invaded by the National Guard?

Nothing a few well placed bunker busters wouldn't solve here.

[malaise]

50. HBOs Fields of Fire

HBO should give us a rerun of that classic 'Fields of Fire' a superb documentary on Sport and Society in the late 60s/70s. That settled everything for me about drugs and sport. This is more diversion - commodified sport has long been riddled with drugs.

[Renew Deal]

57. Finally, a sensible idea.

:nuke:

[devilgrrl]

51. Yeah... this so matters in the scheme of things.

Chalk this up as another topic I couldn't give a rats ass about.

[lanlady]

52. John McCain, Big Government liberal

Let's see, he goes to Europe--Jesus, maybe even to France--and comes back with an idea to involve the nanny state in the marketplace of pro sports.

Remind me, exactly what do Republicans stand for these days?

[Candide]

59. maybe this is all buildup and foreshadowing

for the next LIHOP event happening at a stadium? just a thought

[Rex]

61. Baseball always was a commie sport

:(

Really? So being the fucking PIG MAN IS OKAY, but you better not shoot up and play baseball!

FUCK YOU MCCAIN. You sux so bad that you wouldn't even stand up for your own family when Bush FUCKED YOU ON NATIONAL T.V.

John McCain = WHORE

I'm beginning to wonder about Wesley Clark - yo General get off your ass and say something about this LAST stolen election!