I had no plans to post on the Clemens testimony before Congress--though it is an interesteing look at the oversight function of Congress--but then commentators began to notice that Republicans seemed to support Clemens while Democrats seemed to support his accuser.
What's up with that?
Here's an outtake from one source:
Theories abounded over why the sides couldn't see eye to eye.
Richard Emery, one of McNamee's lawyers, said that some Republicans treated his client harshly because of Clemens' friendship with the Bush family. Emery predicted the pitcher will be pardoned by President Bush should Clemens be indicted or convicted of anything related to the hearing.
"It would be the easiest thing in the world for George W. Bush, given the corrupt proclivities of his administration, to say Roger Clemens is an American hero, Roger Clemens helped children," said Emery, an attorney who has worked for liberal causes. "It's my belief they have some reason to believe they can get a pardon."
Not surprisingly, Clemens' camp — and the GOP — saw things differently.
"Richard Emery just has to quit smoking his own dope," said Rusty Hardin, one of Clemens' attorneys.
As for a pardon from a president? "I'm not aware of Mr. Clemens having been charged with anything," White House deputy press secretary Tony Fratto said.
A spokesman for Rep. Darrell Issa of California said the hearing's partisan tone evolved because Republican members felt the hearing was overly focused on Clemens instead of the broader concerns raised in the Mitchell Report on drugs in baseball.
"It's clear Democrats had expected a government-funded, TV show trial, and now they're whining that Republicans didn't want to play," said the spokesman, Frederick Hill. "The hearing was supposed to be about the Mitchell Report. The Democrats are at fault for focusing on individual wrongdoing instead of the validity of the Mitchell Report."
Any better ideas out there? One commentator pointed out that high profile athletes that become politicians after their careers end tend to be Republican. Maybe that has something to do with it, but why are they more likely to be Republican? There's a research question for you.
Here is a link to the committee page devoted to the hearings.
