April 18, 2003
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Did the White House "Enforcement Squad" Write Dale Petroskey's Letter to Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon?
Before reading this seventh expose on the partisan politics of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, we recommend reading the articles that preceding it.
We also encourage you to send this BuzzFlash series exposing the partisan Republican politics of the National Baseball Hall of Fame to your local sportswriters. Keep writing and calling the National Baseball Hall of Fame. They aren't planning to reschedule the "Bull Durham" celebration -- and the Board of Directors is standing by the partisan political decision of Dale Petroskey, the Hall of Fame President and GOP shill. Tell the National Baseball Hall of Fame that baseball belongs to all Americans, not just Republicans. You can find contact information at: http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/contact/email_info.htm.
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A BUZZFLASH BREAKING NEWS ANALYSIS
Seventh in a Series on the Partisan Scandal at the National Baseball Hall of Fame
Did Karl Rove craft the following statement, which the National Baseball Hall of Fame posted on its site?
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April 11, 2003
STATEMENT BY
Dale Petroskey
President, National Baseball Hall of Fame and MuseumThe Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, is a special place. The Game’s greatest players, managers, umpires, and executives are honored here, and it’s where The Game’s rich history is preserved. Those who have served in the U.S. military are also honored here. Active duty and retired military personnel receive free admission, and last Memorial Day, a plaque was dedicated to honor the 64 Hall of Fame members who have served this country in the armed forces during wartime.
As much as The Hall of Fame honors our armed forces, this institution should never be used as a platform for public pro-war sentiments – nor public anti-war sentiments. Given the track record of Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon, and the timing – with our troops committed in Iraq – a strong possibility existed that they could have used The Hall of Fame as a backdrop for their views. Mr. Robbins and Ms. Sarandon have every right to express their opinions. But The Baseball Hall of Fame is not the proper venue for highly-charged political expressions, whatever they may be."
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As we have speculated from the beginning, Petroskey's sudden cancellation of a "Bull Durham" festival scheduled for the end of April shows all the signs of a White House hit job on two of critics of the Iraq war: Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins. Petroskey even admitted after his "I defend the President Bush/Hail Unto Caesar" letter to Sarandon and Robbins that he never even asked either of them if they were going to mention the war at the "Bull Durham" festival. (Not that their opinions on the Iraq War should be relevant to the film festival in a democracy).
So, Petroskey compounds the evidence that he was just the water boy for another White House "hit job" by then posting a notice on the Hall of Fame website -- with the obvious approval of a Board of Directors loaded with big Republican contributors -- that "a strong possibility existed that they [Robbins and Sarandon] could have used the Hall of Fame as a backdrop for their views. Mr. Robbins and Ms. Sarandon have every right to express their opinions. But The Baseball Hall of Fame is not the proper venue for highly-charged political expressions, whatever they may be."
In posting his lamentable, pathetic "excuse" for doing the White House enforcement squad a favor, Petroskey brings partisanship and politics directly onto the National Baseball Hall of Fame website and sullies the good names of the baseball players whose honor he claims to be defending. The U.S. allegedly went to war in Iraq, the Bush administration tells us, to defend free speech and democracy. Apparently, Petroskey believes that free speech and democracy are a good thing for Iraq, but not for the United States.
Furthermore, Petroskey hides behind baseball players who honorably served in the military to try and justify his Soviet style blackballing of professional actors solely for their political opinions. He tarnishes the sacred tradition of baseball -- and the military veteran players in particular -- for the partisan purposes of defending the reputation of George W. Bush. That, to put it simply, disgraces the military valor of baseball veterans and further sullies the reputation of the National Baseball Hall of Fame as a partisan institution, willing to carry out the self-serving political interests of the Bush White House.
If you haven't read Petroskey's painfully transparent original letter notifying Sarandon and Robbins of the abrupt cancellation of the "Bull Durham" event, here it is:
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Text Of Dale Petroskey's Letter
April 11, 2003
Dear Mr. Robbins:
The president of the United States, as this nation's democratically elected leader, is constitutionally bound to make decisions he believes are in the best interests of the American people. After months of careful deliberations, President Bush made the decision that it is in our nation's best interests to end the brutal regime of Saddam Hussein, and to disarm Iraq of deadly weapons which could be used against its enemies, including the United States. In order to accomplish this, nearly 300,000 American military personnel are in harm's way at the moment. From the first day we opened our doors in 1939, The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum - and many players and executives in baseball's family - has honored the United States and those who defend our freedoms.
In a free country such as ours, every American has the right to his or her own opinions, and to express them. Public figures, such as you, have platforms much larger than the average American's, which provides you an extraordinary opportunity to have your views heard - and equally large obligation to act and speak responsibly. We believe your very public criticism of President Bush at this important - and sensitive - time in our nation's history helps undermine the U.S. position, which ultimately could put our troops in even more danger. As an institution, we stand behind our president and our troops in this conflict.
As a result, we have decided to cancel the April 26-27 programs in Cooperstown commemorating the 15th anniversary of "Bull Durham."
Sincerely,
Dale Petroskey
President
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Now, who do you think wrote this "correspondence," Dale Petroskey or the White House (or the RNC)? Notice the repeated emphasis on defending the reputation of "the president," then take a guess.
Young men and women died in Iraq defending democracy. On that Dale Petroskey is right. But they died defending democracy in America, not just in Iraq.
A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS
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Also see the Following BuzzFlash and Other Web Articles About the Republican Scandal at the National Baseball Hall of Fame:
The
Bush/GOP Cash Connection to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Board
of Directors
http://www.buzzflash.com/analysis/03/04/16_baseball.html
A
National Baseball Hall of Fame Voter and Sportswriter Lectures
the Hall's President on Our Sacred American Constitution
http://www.buzzflash.com/analysis/03/04/15-2_baseball.html
Did
Marvin Bush Call Dale Petroskey and Ask Him to Cancel the "Bull
Durham" Event at the Hall of Fame to Get Back at Two People
Who Criticized King Bush?
http://www.buzzflash.com/analysis/03/04/15_baseball.html
Before
the 2000 Election, Republican Head of Baseball Hall of Fame Invited
GOP Operative to Speak on Upcoming Presidential Election. No Democrat
Spoke.
http://www.buzzflash.com/analysis/03/04/13_baseball.html
BuzzFlash Unearths National Baseball Hall Of Fame News Release Announcing
Ari Fleischer Lecture
http://www.buzzflash.com/analysis/03/04/12_baseball.html
Bombard
the Baseball Hall of Fame
http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/03/04/10_baseball.html
'A
Chill Wind is Blowing in This Nation...': Tim Robbins on Politics
and Baseball
http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0416-01.htm
Cooperstown Muffs One
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/12/opinion/12SAT4.html
Reagan/Bush Surrogate at Hall of Fame Makes a Non-admittance of Mistake
Sort of PR Meaningless Acknowledgment
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/12/sports/baseball/12fame.html
Robbins, Sarandon get Rose treatment from Hall of Fame
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/news/2003/04/09/hall_bulldurham_ap/
"If
the lords of baseball care about Cooperstown and what it stands for,
they will demand Petroskey's resignation immediately"
http://www.suntimes.com/output/iraq/cst-nws-jay13.html
National Baseball Hall of Fame Welcomes Ari Fleischer
http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/whats_new/press_releases/2002/pr2002_01_17.htm
