I can't believe that someone who was grooming himself to be statesman-like would be involved with Ol' Leatherface. Much as Howard Stern would hate to hear it, Imus is nearly identical to him.

Perhaps the interesting question for McCain would be to ask if Imus should get a show, and if Stern should get those massive FCC fines lifted. Although McCain has shown no overt signs of anti-Semitism, him coming down hard on Stern would sure look like it. Apparently prejudiced against both Jews and blacks - it might make him the Republican front-runner.

Joan,

You're being a total homer in regards to Bonds. To say that there is no proof that he did steroids is just false, and something that is being repeated by no one other than blinded Giants fans. The question is only whether or not Bonds knew that he was doing steroids (and you have to be pretty naive to believe that he didn't). The leaked grand jury testimony left no doubts whatsoever that he did in fact do steroids, whether intentionally or not. He explictly admits to using the cream and the clear (which have been proven to be synthetic designer steroids). What more proof do you need?

The Oakland Tribune also covered the day:

http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/ci_6581037

with the creative touch of throwing in a revolting reaction from the Republican National Committee like a turd in the punchbowl.

And BTW I'm totally with you about Barry Bonds. Like someone else said, I'm accusing every guy who used Viagra of cheating too.

No, no, no! He confessed in front of a grand jury that he used Human Growth Hormone (a steroid). He claims he did not know what he was taking, but he ADMITTED taking it. Please, please stop with the "presumption of innocence" and "circumstantial evidence" bit.

"no proof." You *have* to be kidding. All you have to do is *look* at the guy to see the proof, let alone all the other evidence that he's been using illegal hormones for years.

You are in denial Joan.

Tell me you didn't mean it. No proof? What planet are you living on?

Leave it on the sports page, I don't care about baseball, and a presidential candidates opinion on any sports figure, I really, really don't care about.

you mean circumferential. Barryasteroids Bonds blowed up like a poison dog.

Wow, Matt Lauer really went out on limb to ask McCain some "Hard Call" questions. Are these really the serious issues of the day -- Barry Bonds, Don Imus, and McCain's daughter's fictional diary?

I didn't know Barry in high school, but I did know him at ASU. Aside from being the best baseball player I've ever seen, even then, he was a regular guy and a good friend. I remember a minor-league game at Phoenix Muni, in which the losing out was made when the runner stepped on a ball in play. Everyone around us was ragging on the runner, but Barry said, "Cut him some slack. He's just a kid." We all were, then. Years later, he gave my kids the thrill of their young lives with a trip to the locker room, the dugout and the outfield, and then to his home.

I don't like steroids, and I hope my own kids are never tempted to use them. However, the dynamic in professional sports is that we want athletes to perform as though they're using steroids while all the while serving as role models for kids who are never going to be able to play that well, steroids or no. Further, we demand that role-model behaviour of young athletes who only want to play ball, even as we're electing a drunk as president. Let's not pretend that drugs don't permeate every strata of society, or that there's a substantive difference between the legal (caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, prescription drugs, steroids for most of Bonds' career) and the illegal (including the prescription drugs prescribed off-label and otherwise acquired for so many professional athletes.

I don't think Barry Bonds is perfect. I think he's a pretty ordinary guy with an amazing talent. But jeez, cut him some slack unless you can be a better ballplayer than Barry was even when I first met him at 18 or so. Imagine being the best in baseball and still feeling pressured to be better.

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/destruction_of_national_pastime

The question put to McCain about reading his daughters diary or Facebook profile is really two different questions, isn't it? Diaries are private, but a Facebook profile is at least semi-public. I agree with Joan that reading the diary of a child without an invitation to do so might be a value call, but why would it be wrong to read a public profile she placed on the internet? That is little different from checking on what your child is wearing when she leaves the house, which is an uncontroversial enough choice.

I gather, though, that Facebook is for college kids, so McCain is not technically part of the public it is meant for. But if we are talking about a college aged daughter, why would McCain want to read her Facebook profile? Does he also stage surprise visits to her dorm room?

Again- just like yesterday- I agree with your point and am so glad you are making it.

BUT:

Is there a reason to equate losing one’s job with having your achievement questioned? Wouldn’t public questioning of an achievement need to be compared to something like if Imus was publicly questioned in some embarrassing and sustained manner? I’m not trying to be picky but my sense is that it’s not a great equivalence.

The more appropriate question is whether the records of players prior to 1947 should have an asterisk. After all these atheletes benefited from not having to compete against the best possible competition. A look at the all-time leaders in power and speed categories will bear this out. In addition, the video game batting averages of those players have to be viewed in light of the fact that great fielders like Mays, Clemente, Ozzie Smith, and Griffey would not been allowed to play in the so-called Major Leagues. Thousands of hits were allowed by slow footed, sub-par players who would have never made the cut from 1970 on. A great example of the impact of black and latin players can be seen in the 2004 Red Sox finally winning the World Series, they won not by breaking the 'Curse of the Bambino', but the curse of the 'Stars and Bars' a self-imposed ban the Red Sox had against black players until the late 60's. legend has it that Boston could have signed jackie Robinson, Wille mays and Ernie Banks. Think those three plus Ted Williams would have beaten the yankees at least once during the 50's? So before piling on Barry Bond alledgedly using steriods remember the true history of the game, which by the way is the history of America.