Boston Globe Readers Think Obama Should Have Kept His Mouth Shut About Cambridge PD

The Boston Globe put forward a question to its readers: Should the president have spoken out on the Gates arrest?

A majority of the readers who have responded indicated they believe President Obama should have kept his mouth shut or at the very least reserved judgment to a later date.

OK, it isn't a scientific poll but given how liberal this part of the country is it is clear that Obama struck both a raw nerve and the wrong chord.

It isn't the place of the President of the United States to second guess a local police department especially when by his own admission he doesn't have all the facts before him.

As time goes on other matters of state will come to fore and memories will recede. However, I think President Obama's ill-advised comments will create a lasting impression in the Boston-Cambridge area. The seeds of doubt have been planted and Obama is fertilizing them.

Put it this way. Somewhere Hillary Clinton is sitting up, taking notice and biding her time.

Cambridge Police Chief Defends Crowley; MA Governor Patrick Defends Gates

Robert Haas, the Chief of the Cambridge Police Department, has publicly defended Sgt. James Crowley.

On the other hand, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick is defending Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Haas said he did not believe Sgt. Crowley "acted with any racial motivation at all." When asked about President Obama's comment last night that the Cambridge Police Department had "acted stupidly", Haas replied the Department is "deeply pained."

Governor Patrick, for his part, had no comment on President Obama's remark other than to say Obama "was quite capable of speaking for himself.” Patrick said he emphasized with Gates in "feeling powerless" while he attended Milton Academy in the 1970s and being "stopped for no reason than just being on the sidewalk." The Governor did not elaborate further.

Patrick did say, "I guess I would say you ought to be able to raise your voice in your own house without risk of arrest.”

Ahem, Governor. Gates was arrested outside his home. I guess the Governor didn't have all the facts before him. Just like his good friend President Obama.

Mark Buehrle Tosses Perfect Game

Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle made history this afternoon by tossing a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The White Sox 5-0 win moves them into a tie with the Detroit Tigers for the lead of the AL Central Division. The Chisox travel to Detroit tomorrow to play a four games series against the Tigers.

As for Buehrle, he becomes the 16th pitcher to throw a perfect game since 1900. His perfect game is the first in MLB since May 2004 when Randy Johnson accomplished the feat while a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks against the Atlanta Braves.

This is also Buehrle's second career no-hitter. In April 2007, Buehrle fired a no-hitter for the Chisox against the Texas Rangers. He has pitched his entire 10-year MLB career on the South Side of Chicago.

In between decimating our country's health care system and defaming the Cambridge Police Department, Chisox fan and President of the United States Barack Obama called Buehrle to congratulate him on his triumph. It is worth noting Obama met with Buehrle prior to the All-Star Game last week in St. Louis. Obama suggested in jest that Buehrle threw the perfect game because he wore the White Sox jacket when he threw out the first pitch. Gee Barry, I thought everything wasn't all about you. Well, today it's about Buehrle.

Sgt. Crowley Taught Racial Profiling Classes

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. offered to educate Sgt. James Crowley about the issue of racial profiling.

Professor Gates, your services are not required.

It turns out that Sgt. Crowley has been teaching a class on racial profiling at the Lowell Police Academy for the past five years and he was handpicked to do by Ron Watson, the former Chief of Police for the City of Cambridge. It is worth noting that Watson is African-American. Would Watson have tabbed Crowley if he thought Crowley was a "racist officer" much less a "rogue cop"?

Can you hear it? It's the sound of Professor Gates' credibility going out the window.

Obama Opens Mouth & Inserts Foot; Has Vendetta With Sgt. Crowley

So it seems President Obama has a grudge against Sgt. James Crowley of the Cambridge Police Department.

He defended his remarks last night claiming that Sgt. Crowley "acted stupidly" in arresting Professor Gates last week. In an interview with Terry Moran of ABC News, Obama stated:

I have to say I am surprised by the controversy surrounding my statement because I think it was a pretty straight forward commentary that you probably don't need to handcuff a guy, a middle-aged man who uses a cane, who's in his own home.

I think that I have extraordinary respect for the difficulties of the job that police officers do. And my suspicion is that words were exchanged between the police officer and Mr. Gates and that everybody should have just settled down and cooler heads should have prevailed. That's my suspicion.

It doesn't make sense to arrest a guy in his own home if he's not causing a serious disturbance.

How does Obama know Gates wasn't causing a serious disturbance? Remember this is the guy who said he didn't have all the facts on the case but was willing to state the Cambridge Police were "acting stupidly."

Well, let President Obama continue to defend his remarks. Let President Obama continue his personal vendetta with Sgt. Crowley and the Cambridge Police Department. Because if he insists on going down that road he is going to lose a lot of people who jumped on his bandwagon last November. Law abiding people don't like police being unjustly criticized much less being characterized as stupid.

Will The Giants Acquire Matt Holliday?

With the Oakland Athletics going nowhere in 2009 it appears that Matt Holliday's tenure there will end after less than one season. The Athletics acquired Holliday from the Colorado Rockies in the offseason for relief pitcher Huston Street.

I have a hunch that he will end up across the Bay in San Francisco and finish the season as a Giant.

The Giants are abundant in pitching but are in need of offense. Specifically, they need a right-handed power hitter and Holliday fills that bill. The Giants rank at or near the bottom of the NL in several offensive categories. They rank last in the NL in both walks (211) and on base percentage (.307). No surprise there. They are next to last in the NL in OPS (which is a combination of on base and slugging percentage) at .690, in runs scored (379) and home runs (63). In fact, Pablo Sandoval and Bengie Molina account for more than 40% of the Giants home runs this season.

Yet they made into the All-Star Break leading the NL Wild Card. But now they've slipped 1½ games behind the Colorado Rockies in the NL Wild Card race and they will be facing off this weekend in Denver. Wouldn't Matt Holliday love an opportunity to face his old team in a pennant race? After a slow start with Oakland, he is hitting a respectable .287 with 11 home runs and 54 RBI. The question is what are the Giants willing to give up in exchange for Holliday especially since he is a free agent at the end of 2009 and might be inclined to sign elsewhere.
Then again Holliday is 29 and in the prime of his career. If the Giants want to reach the postseason this year then this is the time and the player with whom to take a roll of the dice.

Holliday's best season came in 2007 when he nearly won the Triple Crown leading the NL in batting average and RBI during the Rockies improbable run to the NL Championship. He would finish runner up in the NL MVP balloting to Jimmy Rollins of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Sgt. Crowley Stands Up To President Obama

Sgt. James Crowley is no shrinking violet.

After being called out by President Obama last night, Crowley today rebuked the President in an interview with WBZ Radio in Boston.

While Sgt. Crowley did say he "supports the President of the United States 110 per cent" he was nonetheless critical of President Obama:

I think he's way off base wading into a local issue without knowing all the facts, as he himself stated before he made that comment. I don't know what to say about that. I guess a friend of mine would support my position, too.

Even if they never admit it both Professor Gates and now President Obama might come to realize that they picked on the wrong guy.

Obama Claims Cambridge PD Acted "Stupidly"; Admits He Doesn't Know Facts of Case

During tonight's press conference on health care, President Obama was asked a question about last week's arrest of Harvard University Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

While President Obama admitted he did not know all of the facts behind the case he nonetheless concluded the Cambridge Police Department had "acted stupidly" in arresting Gates because "there was already proof that they were in their own home."

Well, if President Obama had known the facts of the case he would have known that Gates was arrested for disorderly conduct not for breaking & entering.

His statement does a disservice to law enforcement and the principle of equal justice for all.

But what do you expect of a President who remarks he would be shot if he tried to force the locks at the White House?

The joke was in poor taste and so were his misinformed comments about the Cambridge Police Department.

At least Sgt. James Crowley is standing his ground and refuses to apologize for doing his job.

Police Unions Sticking Up For Sgt. Crowley

Well, at least someone is sticking up for Sgt. James Crowley of the Cambridge Police Department.

Police unions in both Cambridge and across the Charles River in Boston are speaking up in support of Sgt. Crowley.

Jim Carnell, a union representative for the Boston Police Patrolmen's Association, put it this way:

The officer's mindset when is going in there is 'why was he breaking down the door?' Maybe there is a restraining order in place. Maybe Harvard University, who owns the house, changed the locks for some reason. The officer's job is to make sure everything is on the up-and-up.
Mr. Gates should be grateful that the police responded and explained himself with some civil discourse. It would have ended there. Instead, his arrogant, combative behavior gave the cops cause to wonder that something else going on.

Hugh Cameron, President of the Massachusetts Coalition of Police, put it more succinctly. Cameron said, "Sergeant Crowley was carrying out his duty as a law enforcement officer protecting the property of Professor Gates and he was accused of being a racist. The situation would have been over in five minutes if Professor Gates cooperated with the officer."

But Professor Gates didn't want it over in five minutes. Gates is pondering the possibility of bring forth a lawsuit against Crowley, the City of Cambridge and the Cambridge Police Department.

To quote the late Sonny Bono, "The beat goes on."

Red Sox Acquire Adam LaRoche From Pirates

The Boston Red Sox have acquired first baseman Adam LaRoche from the Pittsburgh Pirates for minor league shortstop Argenis Diaz and minor league pitcher Hunter Strickland.

Well, this means a lot less playing time for third baseman Mike Lowell. Look for Gold Glove first baseman Kevin Youkilis to play the lion's share of third base (which happens to be Youk's original position) while LaRoche becomes the everyday first baseman.

LaRoche was batting a modest .247 but does have 12 home runs and 50 RBI and he is known for playing his best baseball after the All-Star Break. However, the flipside of this is that he hasn't seen a lot of American League pitching outside of interleague play.

This is LaRoche's sixth big league season. He spent his first three seasons with the Atlanta Braves. LaRoche's best season was in 2006 with the Braves when he hit .285 with 32 home runs and 90 RBI. He was traded to the Pirates that off season for relief pitcher Mike Gonzalez.

The Red Sox have lost a season high four consecutive games and last night fell out of first place in the AL East and are now a game behind the New York Yankees. So much for my prediction that the Yankees would finish in last.

Will LaRoche's left-handed bat give the Red Sox offense some spark? Will LaRoche have the same impact on the Sox as his former Pirates teammate Jason Bay? LaRoche is a free agent at the end of the season. Is LaRoche a short term fix or will the Sox try to sign him beyond 2009? Lowell has one more year on his contract but it remains to be seen if his hip can hold up? Will Theo Epstein eat Lowell's contract? Or will Lowell graciously retire? Then again, if LaRoche hits .215 and the Sox somehow miss the postseason then those questions are academic.

The problems Red Sox fans face are miniscule when compared to Pirates fans or what's left of them. In the past seven weeks, the Pirates have traded away Nate McLouth, Eric Hinske, Nyjer Morgan, Sean Burnett and now Adam LaRoche. Can his younger brother Andy be far behind?

It is possible that Diaz could be the Pirates starting shortstop in 2010. But that is of little consolation to Bucs backers. If you are somehow still cheering for the Pirates you are cheering a team that is on its way to its fifth last place finish in six years and hasn't finished better than fourth place in ten years. A team can develop players and trade for prospects. But if that team is not willing to sign those players to long term contracts and are just going to trade them away two or three years down the road why should fans come to PNC Park? A stunning view of the Allegheny is simply not reason enough.

Another View on the Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Incident

Last night, I wrote a piece on the the arrest of Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Hopefully, it should be up on IC in the next day or two. However, if you cannot endure the suspense any further this column can be read here.

In the meantime, I came across an interesting take on Gates' arrest by Glenn McNatt of The Baltimore Sun. McNatt, who is African-American, found himself in a similar predicament as Gates. However, unlike Gates, he behaved very differently towards the Baltimore Police and not surprisingly the situation ended with a very different outcome:

A similar mix-up happened to me about 10 years ago, shortly after we moved into a house in Baltimore's Homeland neighborhood. Someone saw me emptying the trash out back one night and called the police.

I was in the kitchen finishing up the dinner dishes when they knocked on the back door; when I opened it they entered and asked if I lived there.

In the end I had to show my driver's license, then call my wife and daughter downstairs to vouch for me.

Unlike Mr. Gates, however, I didn't automatically assume the two officers were racists; one of them was white, but the other was African-American. I figured they were just doing their job, and that they were probably as wary of me as I was of them.

They both managed to stay civil, if professionally cautious, until my story checked out. And I was ever the mild-mannered editorialist, though I didn't mention where I worked or what I did.

Eventually they satisfied themselves that everything was OK and left. I didn't demand an apology, and they didn't offer one.

Afterward, I wondered whether I should have been more indignant, as Mr. Gates apparently was. But I figured there was no point in escalating a situation with a potential to turn nasty, especially with my family in the house.

If Gates had adopted the demeanor and disposition of McNatt with Sgt. James Crowley of the Cambridge Police Department he would never have been placed under arrest. Unless, of course, Gates adopted that demeanor deliberately to draw attention to himself and his cause. But to be fair I cannot read Gates mind. McNatt writes further:

We all bring to these encounters our unique personal histories and agendas; that evening I just wasn't inclined to make a federal civil rights case out of an obvious misunderstanding, even if the misunderstanding did hinge on the ever touchy subject of race.

Now, this assumes the person who called the Baltimore Police did so because McNatt was black. Unless, McNatt has additional information that for whatever reason he is disclined to share one cannot assume the person who made the call was motivated by race. We only know the caller saw something out of the ordinary and contacted the authorities who responded and determined there was nothing out of the ordinary after all. McNatt understood.

This is what police officers do in this country every day and it is what Sgt. Crowley was doing when he responded to the 911 call of a possible breaking and entering at Gates' residence last Thursday. Gates, however, does not or chooses not to understand.

Priests for Life: ACT NOW to stop stealth-FOCA!

Dear Friend,

This is without question among the most urgent messages I've ever sent you.

Unless you want to pay for abortionists to kill the youngest members of our human family, you must take these two actions immediately:

1. Contact your lawmakers in Washington!
2. Click here and rush Priests for Life the largest gift you can send today so that we can lead the people of life to DEFEAT the gravest threat to our unborn brothers and sisters since Roe v Wade!

In case you don't know, under the guise of "health care reform" Congress is about to pass a stealth version of the Freedom of Choice Act! And to make matters worse, they will force YOU to pay for the killings that will follow!

Make no mistake. The "health care reform" bills being finalized in Congress will set off a chain reaction that will result in a massive expansion of abortion!

That's because unless Congress explicitly states that abortion is excluded, it will be regarded as "an essential benefit" for Americans. Once that's done, insurance companies would be forced to cover elective abortions which would in turn force local health networks to recruit and hire abortionists.

And to make matters even worse, because these would be federal mandates ...

... state laws that now restrict abortion will probably be overturned!

As I said, this is FOCA in disguise!

Which is why it is so critically important that you:

àContact your lawmakers in Washington … RIGHT NOW!
àClick here and rush Priests for Life the largest gift you can send today.

Your action is needed because Barack Obama and the Abortion Congress want to ram this through Congress BEFORE the people of life can rise up to stop it.

And they will succeed unless YOU take action. Don't leave this up to "someone else." Call your two U.S. Senators and your House Representative and urge them to explicitly exclude abortion funding from health care reform legislation.

I know we can win this fight. We proved that earlier this year when we helped mobilize the people of life to oppose the Freedom of Choice Act.

We won that battle ... and we can win this one, too.

But only if we ACT NOW and make our voices heard in Washington. Time is of the essence!

Obama is putting enormous pressure on Congress to pass his "health care reform" as quickly as possible. He originally wanted it passed before lawmakers left on their August recess. Only fast action by Priests for Life and other pro-life activists kept that from happening.

Stung by that setback, the pro-abortion leaders of Congress are now out there selling the "health care reform" package to voters. But one thing they aren't telling anybody is how this measure will all but mandate abortion-on-demand ... and force you and every other taxpayer to pay for it!

So we've got to sound the alarm far and wide and convince our fellow Americans to DEMAND that Congress keep any "health care reform" bill abortion-neutral!

Priests for Life is sparing no expense to do just that. We are using every means of communication at our disposal to rally pro-life America to action: TV, radio, Internet, parish visits, resources for clergy, newspaper articles, tele-conferences, letter writing campaigns, postcards ... you name it.

To be successful it is critically important that you TAKE THESE THREE ACTION NOW:

1. Contact your two U.S. Senators and Representative. You can either click here to send them an email, or call them, or both. You'll need to make three calls: One to your Representative in the House (switchboard 202-225-3121) and one to each of your two U.S. Senators (switchboard 202-224-3121). Ask the operator to connect you to the appropriate lawmaker's office.

2. Click here to join our prayer campaign. Let's join prayer power to our lobbying voices, and let us know on this page that you have contacted your lawmakers and that you will say the daily prayer we've prepared. In this way, when I visit our lawmakers in Washington, I will know how many of our Priests for Life family members have already contacted Congress.

3. Click here to rush Priests for Life the largest contribution you can send Priests for Life at this critical time.

Your dollars are desperately needed so that Priests for Life can alert our fellow Americans to the fact that "health care reform" is really "stealth FOCA" ... and then rally them to join us as we fight to DEFEAT every attempt to include abortion in any "health care reform" package.

Again, though, the key is for you TAKE ACTION NOW ... before you move on to your next email. Believe me, there is nothing that is more important for you to do right now than this.

And if I may ask you one more favor. Each year I survey our supporters to learn how we can serve their needs more effectively. After giving your donation, would you take a moment and fill out the short survey I've placed at www.priestsforlife.org/survey. It is very important to me to know what you're thinking about our ministry!

Thank you and God bless.

Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life and Gospel of Life Ministries

PS. In case you think I'm exaggerating the situation, pro-life Congressman Chris Smith calls Obama's so-called "health care" plan the "greatest threat to the unborn since Roe v. Wade." He is so concerned, in fact, that he sent a letter to his fellow Congressmen in which he cited quotes from pro-abortion groups that state their goal of using health care reform as a tool to expand access to abortion. He also quoted Barack Obama from a Q&A session at a Planned Parenthood Action Fund Event in July 2007: "In my mind reproductive care is essential care, basic care so it is at the center, the heart of the [health care] plan that I propose." Now that you know the truth ... TAKE ACTION!

Click here and help Priests for Life STOP this grave threat to the youngest members of our human family!

NOTE: If you prefer to send a check, please make it out to Priests for Life and send it to us at PO Box 141172, Staten Island, NY 10314. If you have any questions, call us toll-free at 888-735-3448. x 232.

Thoughts on Chappaquiddick @ 40

With all the discussion about the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, Quin Hillyer of The American Spectator (where some of my articles have appeared) notes that no one, not even National Review, has saw fit to mention the 40th anniversary of Chappaquiddick.

You know the incident that claimed the life of Mary Jo Kopechne but did not claim the political career of Senator Edward Kennedy.

Of course, much of it has to do with the fact that Kennedy is dying of brain cancer. Then again if Kennedy were in perfect health I don't think the MSM would be eager to revisit Chappaquiddick.

Pardon me for saying it. But as far as the MSM is concerned Chappaquiddick is water under the bridge.

President Obama, Edmund Burke & Iran

I was reading Jack Kerwick's column, "Classical Conservatism: A Return to a Politics of Humility."

In the piece, Kerwick praises President Obama's approach concerning Iran in the aftermath of the "election" as being in the finest traditions of classical conservatism as personified by Edmund Burke.

It is quite possible Burke would have had little enthusiasm for the protesters in Iran. His disdain for revolution is well known and slogans like "Death to the Dictator!!!" would probably hold little appeal to him.

On the other hand, it was Edmund Burke who said, "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." So it is hard to fathom Burke endorsing Khamenei and Ahmadinejad much less President Obama's clarion call that we not meddle. If what is happening in Iran isn't evil then nothing is.

I also cannot imagine Burke being supportive of a policy of engagement of a regime that has no interest in engaging us and is, in fact, keen on doing us harm never mind its malignant designs for genuine friends.

An Obama Poem: Doing It On The Fly

I think Barack Obama's greatest singular achievement in his six months as President of the United States was swatting that fly during a television interview. FDR never had reflexes like that.

But I don't think President Obama has dealt with more dangerous members of the insect world quite as well:

Doing It On The Fly

As you spoke about global strife
That buzzin’ fly came into your life
You couldn’t let it just float away
How dare it interrupt your interview on Today
When you kicked it with your shoe
Were you thinking of Netanyahu?

That moment enhanced your narrative
Yet what really was the imperative
Flies pose no threat, are no source of doom
Unless they are played by Jeff Goldblum
When confronted by more dangerous insects
Your conduct is more circumspect

Take the Venezuelan cockroach
Who took a direct approach
Giving you a very big book
You grabbed its tentacles & shook
Triumphantly it crawled away
Dissidents looked at you with dismay

The North Korean mosquito
Its intention isn’t incognito
When it takes a firm stand
You’re not so quick to raise a hand
Your response to its missiles
Has thus far been futile

Then there are Iranian killer bees
You know the ones you aim to appease
When the worker bees clamored for reform
The queen bees closed ranks and swarmed
You were unwilling to do the right thing
Well because they might sting

Casting a wide net
Is no sure bet
You might wish to catch them with honey
But you spent all our money
I know you have your reasons why
Or are you just doing it on the fly

So when you speak about making global strides
And something else comes into our lives
That just won’t float away
What are you going to do today?

Thoughts on Apollo 11 @ 40

Forty years ago today, Neil Armstrong and "Buzz" Aldrin walked on the surface of the moon for 2½ hours. Those 2½ hours changed the lives of both men and, of course, mankind.

This event occurred three years before I was born. I'm part of the generation that saw the first launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia. However, I remember the landing better. It took place on April 14, 1981 at 1:20 EST. I remember this because it was my Dad's 40th birthday. There was a time when we would watch every single Shuttle launch and landing and record it on the school's Beta Max.

When I think of Apollo 11 and the moon landing I think of Bob Costas and Marilu Henner. Why them? I'll explain. But a word of warning. The story is a wee bit bawdy. Yet I think you will find it amusing just the same.

Costas used to host a show on NBC called Later. I enjoyed the show because it had no band or audience. It was just Costas one on one with a guest for an entire hour. I had been exposed to Costas as a result of his work in baseball on NBC's Game of the Week.

One night he interviewed actress Marilu Henner. Of course, she is best known for playing Elaine Nardo on Taxi - one of my favorite TV shows ever. By this time she was on Evening Shade with Burt Reynolds.

Henner apparently has the uncanny ability to remember what she was doing on every day of her life. Costas, however, was skepitcal of Henner's claim and decides to test her. He picks out a random date - July 20, 1969. The day of Armstrong and Aldrin took one small step for man. But Henner becomes flummoxed and flustered and demands to know if someone put him up to mentioning that date. Now Costas is perplexed.

Long story short. It turns out while Apollo 11 was landing Henner was being taken to new heights. It was the night she lost her virginity. But here's the best part of the story. Without missing a beat Costas retorts, "At least we know Neil Armstrong wasn't the culprit."

That interview must have taken place about twenty years ago. I still find it funny now.

I should mention that I met Marilu Henner at Macy's here in Boston almost a decade ago. But that's a story for another day.

Frank McCourt, 1930-2009. R.I.P.

Frank McCourt, the author of Angela's Ashes, has died of malignant melanoma. He was 78 years old.

Angela's Ashes was released in 1996. It was a memoir of McCourt's childhood in Limerick, Ireland. McCourt would win the National Book Critics Circle Award and a Pulitzer Prize for Angela's Ashes. In 1999, it would be adapted into a movie starring Robert Carlyle and Emily Watson. Not bad for someone who had been a New York City school teacher and was essentially working on a retirement project.

However, some in Limerick disputed McCourt's account of his childhood. But this did little to deter the affections of the chattering classes on the Upper West Side.

McCourt followed Angela's Ashes with another memoir Tis (1998) which documented his life in New York City. His last book Teacher Man (2005) documented his career as a New York City public school teacher.

What Annoys Me About The ESPY Awards

Since 1993, ESPN has broadcast The ESPY Awards.

Think of the ESPYs as the sports equivalent of the Emmy Awards.

It used to be broadcast live in February or March. But since 2002, it has been broadcast on the third Sunday of July following ESPN Sunday Night Baseball. Usually, ESPN Sunday Night Baseball begins at 8 p.m. EST. But on this weekend the game begins at 6 p.m. EST.

It's very annoying. I don't understand why ESPN Sunday Night Baseball has to be moved back two hours to accommodate a show that isn't even broadcast live. The ESPYs are taped the day after the MLB All-Star Game.

Here's what I would do if I were in charge of programming at ESPN. Air the ESPYs on Sunday night at 8 p.m. on ESPN and broadcast ESPN Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN2 at the same time which happens to be its normal time. That way everybody wins. Viewers have a choice between the ESPYs or ESPN Sunday Night Baseball.

I mean what were they broadcasting on ESPN2 this evening while the ESPYs were on? Soccer and drag racing.

O.K., it isn't the biggest problem in the universe. But it is a pet peeve of mine and now I've spoken my peace.

It's Still a Heck of a Story for Tom Watson

Tom Watson was a putt away from becoming the biggest sports story of 2009.

Watson would have become the oldest golfer to win a major championship. He is less than two months shy of his 60th birthday. If he had won the Open Championship it would have been his first major since winning the Open Championship in 1983.

But he didn't sink that final putt and it forced him into a playoff with Stewart Cink who had never before won a major championship on the PGA Tour. Cink won the four hole playoff and the Open Championship by six strokes.

I remember when Jack Nicklaus won the Masters in 1986 at the age of 46. That was unbelievable. But a Watson win this weekend would have literally been one for the ages. It would have also been the sixth time he had won the Open Championship.

Watson himself said it best, "It would have been a heck of a story, wouldn't it?"

Yet it was a heck of story. How often does Tiger Woods not make the cut? How often do older athletes get a chance to return to their prime? What a thrill it was for the fans to see Tom Watson at the top of his game. Even if Tom Watson came up short for a few days he was the best golfer in the world again.

Poèm pour Neda

Last month, in the wake of the assassination of Neda Agha-Soltan in Iran which was seen around the world, I wrote a poem in her memory.

Today, I received an e-mail from a woman named Nanehlala. To my absolute surprise, she translated my poem into French and sought my permission to put it up online. I have never had a poem of mine translated into another language. So I am deeply honored by the gesture. Permission granted.

I asked Nanehlala to tell me a little more about herself. Understandably, she is guarded. But I can tell you this much. She is Iranian but left the country during the midst of the Islamic Revolution thirty years ago and now lives elsewhere.

Needless to say, she is pained by what has transpired in Iran and is trying to do her part in drawing attention to it. In addition to translating poems, Nanehlala also writes her own poetry as well as novels and short stories for children. She is hoping to have some of her works adapted into animated films.

So without further adieu here is Nanehlala's French translation of Poem for Neda:

Poème pour Neda

Elle vint au centre ville

Se joindre aux milliers, déjà là ;

Eux voulaient dire au monde entier

Ce qu’il coûte de gagner

Une révolution Islamique

Dans les Persans joueurs de flûtes

Il y avait sur les toits, des tireurs lâches qui attendaient.

Dans l’espoir de mettre fin au mouvement qui se levait,

L’un d’eux visa Neda au cœur.

Alors que sa vie s’écoulait de son visage

Neda débusqua le silence

Pour que l’erreur n’ait plus sa place

Pour montrer au monde entier

Ce que ce régime fait

Et pourtant, la Maison Blanche ne veut pas le renverser

Pour que le trouillard en chef se trouve dans ses bons papiers

Nous resterons liés au diable

Pour des raisons d’état minables

Ça n’est vraiment pas croyable

Que vous restiez sans bouger devant l’appel de Neda

Assurez vous d’être prêt à nous expliquer pourquoi

Vous ne pensez toujours pas que l’heure de l’Iran est là.

Car, dès que vous nous proférez que ça n’est pas notre affaire

Un pétale tombe des bourgeons en fleurs de la liberté.

Walter Cronkite, 1916-2009. R.I.P.

Legendary CBS News Anchor Walter Cronkite died this evening. He was 92.

He is best known as the anchor of the CBS Evening News, a position he held from 1962 until his retirement in 1981.

It was Cronkite who told the world that President Kennedy had died on November 22, 1963 with tears in his eyes.

Less than five years later he declared the Vietnam War could not be won.

Of course, I was not yet born. But I am old enough to remember when he read the news. I would have been no more than four or five years old. But I would remember him leading with, "President Carter today...." and not understanding anything else he said until the time came for him to say "and that's the way it is...." Even as a child I recognized both a resonant and reassuring tone in his voice. This as much as anything else was the key to his enduring appeal.

In recent years, Cronkite was far more vocal in his support of liberalism. He wrote an open letter to Democratic Presidential standard bearer John Kerry in 2004 chastising him for being unwilling to embrace his inner liberal. In 2006, echoing his sentiments on Vietnam nearly three decades earlier, he declared the War in Iraq was also unwinnable.

Cronkite was not a fan of the Fox News Channel and appeared in Robert Greenwald's 2004 documentary Outfoxed to condemn the network. However, this did not prevent the Fox News Channel from dedicating Greta Van Susteren's program this evening on the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission in Cronkite's memory due to his passion for space exploration.

Gordon Waller, 1945-2009. R.I.P.

Gordon Waller, one half of the 1960s British pop duo Peter & Gordon, died yesterday of a heart attack. He was 64 years old.

Peter and Gordon had a string of hits in the mid-1960s all of which were written by Paul McCartney with the exception of "I Go To Pieces" which was penned by Del Shannon. At the time, McCartney was dating Peter Asher's sister, Jane. Peter and Gordon's biggest hit was "A World Without Love." However, my favorite P & G song is "Woman." This song was written by McCartney but was credited to one of his aliases, Bernard Webb.

Beginning in 2005, after not performing together for nearly thirty years, Peter and Gordon reunited for a series of concerts on the oldies circuit as well as playing some Beatles conventions.

Watertown, New York Gets No Respect

Like many people, I first heard about Watertown, New York when the late Harry Chapin infamously said that he "had spent a week there one afternoon" on his Greatest Stories Live album.

Then when I moved to Ottawa in 1991 I discovered the PBS affiliate eminated from Watertown. Before being renamed WPBS it was known as WNPE-16 Watertown/WNPI-18 Norwood. I watched the channel occasionally as I have always occasionally watched PBS. It had a nice small town charm to it. It's not WGBH here in Boston but had its own little niche.

That niche was found in Canada. Although most of its viewers are located in upstate New York most of the money it raised during its pledge drives were from Canada in places like Ottawa, Kingston and Pembroke. Because of this WPBS geared a lot of its programming to its Canadian viewers. It even plays both national anthems when it signs off.

Well, Rogers Cable will no longer feed Watertown's PBS station into homes in Eastern Ontario effective August 18th. These Canadian viewers will get their PBS from Detroit.

Given that PBS from Watertown has been a fixture in Eastern Ontario since 1971 you would think that Rogers would have notified WPBS of its decision. Nope. WPBS found out about Rogers' decision courtesy of an e-mail from a viewer. That's pretty lame on the part of Rogers. Advising WPBS of their decision is the least they could have done.

I mean the slogan of WPBS is "The Two Nation Station." No Canadian viewers means no WPBS.

Rogers argues that its viewers like PBS but want a PBS affiliate that has a stronger signal. That's where Detroit Public Television comes into the picture.

For its part, WPBS is urging viewers to contact Rogers Cable in the hope it will reconsider the decision. Good luck though. Rogers has a virtual monopoly on cable TV in Canada. As such it thinks it can acts how it wants without consideration to viewer demand.

Now one might argue that in the grand scheme of things PBS isn't that important. If the programming on PBS is so good it should be able to survive in the private sector. But who really wants to be known as the person who killed Big Bird? I didn't think so.

So let's look at it another way. Let's look at this particular PBS station. If WPBS is taken off Canadian airwaves then WPBS would probably turn to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and by extension the federal government for help. It's a better deal for the American taxpayer if WPBS continues broadcasting in Canada and paid for primarily by Canadian viewers.

Then everyone, be they American or Canadian, can enjoy a week's worth of WPBS in one afternoon.

Jim Chapin, 1919-2009. R.I.P.

I just learned that Jim Chapin died on the Fourth of July. He was only a few weeks shy of his 90th birthday.

He was the father of Harry Chapin (one of my favorite musicians as noted on my Wikipedia page) and nine other children. The elder Chapin was a musician in his own right. He was a drummer of great renown in the big band era and was a contemporary of legendary drummers such as Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. He wrote two books on jazz drumming which are utilized by jazz drummers to this day.

If you click on the link that begins this post you'll see the remarkable resemblance between father and son. If Harry Chapin had lived to 90 that is probably what he would have looked like. Tom Chapin, one of his other sons and also a musician, had said his father had been ill in recent years and did not look so well. But he noted that things changed when you put him behind a drum kit. “We got him behind the drums, and he shed 30 years.” If Harry were still amongst us I am sure he would say his father died "good tired."

Yet it is peculiar that I should learn of Jim Chapin's passing today. It was on July 16, 1981 (28 years ago today) that Harry Chapin lost his life in an automobile accident.

Terrorist Attacks in Indonesia

Tonight, there were simultaneous explosions at two hotels in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta.

The attacks took place at the Ritz-Carlton and the Marriott hotels. As of this writing nine people have been killed and 50 have been injured.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks but it is most likely the work of Jemaah Islamiyah, a Sunni Muslim terrorist organization that seeks to establish an Islamic caliphate in Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia. Jemaah Islamiyah has also been known to have a working relationship with al-Qaeda. Indeed, al Qaeda's number two Al Zawahiri announced in 2006 the two organizations had formally joined forces.

Of course, this is not the first terrorist attack in Indonesia although it is the first since 2005. Jemaah Islamiyah attacked Bali in 2002 and 2005 and the Australian Embassy in 2004. Tonight, is the second time the Marriott has been attacked by Jemaah Islamiyah. They attacked it previously in 2003 resulting in 12 deaths and 150 injured.

Could this terrorist attack be a message to President Obama? This attack could serve as a reminder to Obama that Jemaah Islamiyah is still here and they don't like the increased U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan. Let us also remember that President Obama spent four years of his life in Indonesia as a child. It will be interesting to see what he has to say about attacks in a city he once called home.