Bush Pushes MLB to Address Steroid Issue (Protectin the legacy o'Baseball)

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WASHINGTON - President Bush called on Major League Baseball on Wednesday to take "strong steps" to confront the use of steroids and other illegal performance-enhancing substances by players.

Bush spoke up on the issue — which he also noted in his State of the Union address earlier this year — as players and league management worked toward an agreement on tougher testing for steroids. Drug use "diminishes the integrity of sports," Bush's spokesman said.

"The president believes it's important for Major League Baseball management and the player's union to act by taking strong steps to address the problem," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan. "Professional baseball players are people our children look up to. Players who use drugs undermine the efforts of parents and coaches to send the right message to our children."

McClellan did not spell out what would constitute "strong steps" by the league. Bush, a former managing partner of the Texas Rangers, is not involved in negotiations between players and baseball management, limiting his role to public remarks through the spokesman.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=544&ncid=703&e=2&u=/ap/20041208/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_steroids


On second thought, it's probably best that he focus on the two subjects he knows best... baseball and drugs.

[Ian David]

1. Oh, yeah. This is a national priority

They hate us for our biceps.

[hatrack]

2. No, no, they hate us for our rock-hard glutes & pecs!!!

Boy, issues just don't COME any more critical than this.

Millionaire athletes use illegal drugs to bulk up and perform better - who could possibly have imagined it?!?! :eyes:

[gratuitous]

3. Boy, here's a problem worthy of Stupidhead's attention

Thousands and thousands needlessly dead in Afghanistan and Iraq merits barely a passing thought, but a bunch of overpampered, overpaid guys want to cut their life expectancy in half so they can play a kids' game, and Simpleton W. Bush is on it like an alcoholic on a bottle of Thunderbird.

[mcscajun]

4. Yep...this is Absolutely a National Priority...Baseball and Drugs??????

I see the party that's against big government and is all-consumed with security and the war on 'terra' absolutely needs to be involved in drug abuse in sports.

Ugh.

Just another distraction...pay no attention to that chimp behind the curtain.

[Bluzmann57]

5. Now I like baseball as much as anybody

but the government needs to stay the hell out of it. My how things have changed. The repubs want to get involved in private business and the Dems want to stay out of it. Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?

[bossfish]

6. Senator Grandstand was all over this over the weekend...

Never stand between John McCain and a camera...

[tmooses]

7. Dur Fuhrer:Protecting us from gays and roids-that's inspiring!

[troubleinwinter]

8. Clean baseball and filthy elections... there ya go!

[Blue_Tires]

12. yep...and a filthy environment

[Benhurst]

9. How about a test of all government officials for substance abuse? nt

[Califooyah Operative]

10. The day after John McCain threatened them....

Political Opportunist.

[4MoreYearsOfHell]

11. The Dope comes out against dope

[Supersedeas]

13. Scottie McButterpants is talking about integrity....come on!!!!

[HuckleB]

14. Legacy of Baseball?

You mean the one where George cons the taxpayers into paying to build a new stadium that will increase the value of the team he owns so he can sell it and make the only "private" profit he ever made in his life?

Sheesh.

What's funny is that McCain beat him to the punch on this one, as usual.