Got Baseball Playoff Fever? Watch The Top 5 Pointless Congressional Hearings on Baseball
Joe Biden contradicts himself in the same sentence, Jesse Ventura calls team owners' logic "asinine," and more!
It's October and that means the Major League Baseball playoffs are in full swing. Congress has held hearings on baseball throughout the years, which sometimes yield all-time classic moments like:
- Joe Biden contradicting himself in the same sentence when he said, "I'm angry that we're even here, having to deal with this is a Congress…but I think we should have hearings on all sports."
- Gov. Jesse Ventura (I-MN) calling team owners' claims of poverty "asinine," adding, "These people did not get wealthy by being stupid."
- Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) grilling a witness on the state of Roger Clemens' bloody pants.
To see these classic moments and a few more, watch the Top 5 Pointless Congressional Hearings on Baseball!
Original writeup below:
Congress has no authority over Major League Baseball, but that hasn't stopped them from holding dozens of hearings on the national pastime over the years. Federal legislators have relished the opportunity to show off their populist appeal in front of national TV cameras by talking "inside baseball" jargon, acting as moral scolds, and generally probing in places they don't belong.
To celebrate Opening Day of the 2015 MLB season, Reason TV presents the Top 5 Pointless Congressional Hearings on Baseball!
Featuring Rafael Palmeiro's infamous fingerwag, George Will's defense of socialism in baseball, Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) threatening to "hold hearings on all sports," a totally TMI investigation of Roger Clemens' bloody dress pants, Sen. Howell Heflin's (D-AL) concern about the rising costs of "basekaball" tickets, and Gov. Jesse Ventura's (I-MN) shocking star turn as the voice of sober and rational government.
About 5 minutes.
Produced by Anthony L. Fisher.
Music: "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0