You’ve Got to Be Kidding Me

Baseball slugger, professional moustache model, and imbiber of illegal substances Rafael Palmeiro failed a drug test this week, testing positive for the powerful steroid stanozolol, after testifying to Congress in March that he had “never used steroids. Period." President Bush has signaled his support of his good pal Palmeiro by noting, "He's the kind of person that's going to stand up in front of the klieg lights and say he didn't use steroids, and I believe him. Still do," demonstrating both his renowned support of compulsive liars and his unwavering contempt for science. Congress, however, has other ideas about Palmeiro, who has invoked the now-familiar “didn’t do it knowingly” defense:

With the player's consent, Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., chairman of the House Government Reform Committee, and the committee's ranking Democrat, Rep. Henry Waxman of California, asked Major League Baseball on Wednesday to turn over information about the failed drug test that resulted in a 10-day suspension for Palmeiro this week.

[…]

"As a practical matter, perjury referrals are uncommon," Davis told The Associated Press. "Prosecutions are rare. But this is a high-profile case, so I think it will get an honest look-see. I don't think anyone can avoid it.

"If we did nothing," he added, "I think we'd look like idiots, don't you?"

Frankly, Mr. Davis, I thought you kind of looked like idiots for getting involved in this whole steroids thing in the first place. To continue to pursue it, based on the fact that some dude lied to you, which ought to have been widely expected considering he’s got a career and a record to protect, in spite of the fact that the President lied to Congress to take the nation to war, doesn’t make you look like idiots so much as useless fucking tools. Quit jacking around with baseball players and pay attention to something that makes a difference in the lives of the American people—like holding accountable the man responsible for the unnecessary deaths of almost 2,000 soldiers and a debt the size of Jupiter!

(Hat tip Blue Meme.)

UPDATE: Definitely read Daily Pepper's post tracing Bush's connection to all this, too. Honestly, is there any dirty business in this country that doesn't lead back to the White House? (Excepting the usual in Chicago, of course.)