The Judge Who Saved Baseball

Anybody keeping score of which party controls the first few innings of the confirmation debate should make note of how many times "baseball" gets repeated in the political chatter over the next 48 hours.

When a new President mentions baseball twice in the first few minutes of his first Supreme Court nominee event, it is not a coincidence. To make sure his first nominee makes it through a potentially ugly confirmation process, President Obama is wrapping the debate in one of the most popular symbols of American life: baseball.

Obama's first mention of "baseball" came when he referenced her 1995 opinion that ended the baseball strike. That decision, which Sotomayor issued after only 15 minutes of deliberation, ruled in favor of the players against team owners, thereby allowing the baseball season to start.

Obama's second mention of "baseball" came in the section of his remarks about the judge having been raised in South Bronx public housing. With a glint in his eye, Obama described Sotoymayor's home as being just a few minutes away from Yankee Stadium, which he hoped would not be a problem for Mets fans.

Two mentions of baseball in Obama's first at bat.

MSNBC's Chuck Todd caught the references, remarking to Chris Matthews in the post-announcement commentary:

They mentioned baseball, they mentioned mom, the only thing they left out was 'apple pie.'

Minutes later, during a phone-in interview with MSNBC, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) hit the baseball symbolism out of the park:

Anybody who saved baseball for America, deserves America's warm consideration.

A few minutes later, Klobuchar again invoked the strategic symbolism, calling Sotomayor "the savior of baseball."

Although it may seem like a glib reference to sports, "baseball" is one of the most far-reaching and widely accepted symbols of American life. As a national symbol, it evokes positive feeling for a majority of Americans, bringing to mind positive images of childhood, summertime, cheering crowds, tradition, community, inspiration, and family.

"Family" and Sotomayor has already been an important strand of the baseball symbol emphasized by the White House. During his remarks, for example, Obama made reference to Sotomayor's upbringing by a single mom who worked multiple jobs -- a biographical fact remarkably similar to his own background.

The theme of a public servant raised by a selfless mother was then repeated during the first few minutes of Sotomayor's own remarks:

I have often said, that I am all I am because of her. And I am only half the woman that she is.

At least half the country will smile when they watch the media clip of Judge Sotomayor making that tribute to her mom.

Judge Sotomayor then went on to explain that the "principles" of the founding fathers had been a guiding light that inspired her whole life.

The symbolism surrounding Obama's first nominee to the Supreme Court, in other words, is not just baseball, but the patriotic grand slam of "baseball, mom, and the Constitution."

Another sign that the White House chosen symbolism for Sotomayor is holding the debate could be the media repetition of the word "empathy" -- a quality many Americans associate with mothers, and which the media is already describing as a personal quality Judge Sotomayor gleaned from her upbringing.

Republicans, for their part, will likely try to shift the Sotomayor confirmation debate away from "baseball" and "mom" and towards "liberal extremism." Chances are good that they will strike out in this effort, unable to connect against the power of the symbolism thrown by the White House.

In the end, a debate about Sotomayor that stays centered on positive, core American symbols will be welcomed by most Americans, and will likely tilt the discussion in favor of the White House. Given that the Supreme Court nomination process already favors a president, the White House use of "baseball" may be the key to getting Sotomayor around the Congressional bases and into the biggest, big league, nine-player starting lineup in the land.

(cross posted from Frameshop)

Comments

[DinkSinger]

Since football seems to be much more popular than baseball these days, it is worth noting that Judge Sotomayor also decided against Maurice Clarett in Clarett v. National Football League.

[kamachanda]

Good to hear that baseball is getting a much needed shot in the arm.

In the meantime, I am disgusted that politicians have lowered the debate in this country to the lowest common denominator. I blame the far right, it's too bad a right leaning centrist like Obama has to respond on that level to accomplish anything in Washington.

[randyjet]

You forgot another obvious example. There are only 9 players on a baseball team, and NINE justices on the Supreme Court.. A very apt metaphor for this new inning of the court.

[GAPeach99]

Check out the last sentence in the post. He didn't miss it.

[furtivelook]

Obama's bringing up the subject seemed strained and frivolous.

[slowtono]

Not a judge, not a Hispanic, a politician. Wow we! May find out baseball isn't what it use to be. You wrote right, half of America will approve. East coast and...? No one else matters.

[teacheng]

Soooo smart.

[NorCalNative]

Mr. Feldman, what you're saying here makes sense on a superficial level only. And, from reading your bio, apparently that's the point. Framing the message is to politics as oxygen is to life, I get that. I think to say that the judge "saved" baseball is not entirely accurate. It's more of a broad-brush stroke designed to elicit a certain American-loving, mythology-based response.

Resumption of play by ending a strike does not equal or mean the same thing as saving the game. In my opinion the requirement for saving the game, or for that matter any other professional sport would be to remove both the performance enhancing drugs and the athletes who use them.

On the other hand, there's a delicious irony to seeing the American Pie thrown back into Republican and Right-wing faces. One finger for the fastball, two for the curve, and three for the PIE.

[lglglg]

I live near Boston, one of the most baseball-crazed cities in America, and I have NEVER attended a single Red Sox game under my own power (my father took me to three or four games when I was little) because baseball is such a dreary, pathetic time-wasting way to spend a spring, summer or early-fall afternoon or evening. Now if you think THAT sentence was too long, think of how a typical baseball transpires. Of the three hours or so that the "action" takes place, a good two hours is typically spent waiting for somebody to do something, other than grab their gonads and spit.

[randyjet]

You must live in the Dover area with the other wealthy snobs. The rest of us Americans love baseball, too bad you don't. Of course, maybe if I mention that ALL of Latin America, Japan, are just as crazy over it too, you might like it then.

[tb92]

Isn't it lovely to have a President who understands the use and power of words? And he can even pronounce them properly!

[nolabels]

Not choking on a pretzel helps one enunciate.

[larry278]

The GOP is courting oblivion & death by talking of opposing Judge Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court. If the GOP chooses to oppose Judge Sotomayor, the American public will deliver oblivion to the GOP by the end of the GOP's 1st word opposing Judge Sotomayor. That will give the GOP time to kill itself.