Democrats, Inspired by Obama, Take First Congressional Baseball Game Since 2000

On Wednesday night Republican and Democratic congressmen faced off against one another at Nationals Park in the 48th annual Congressional Baseball Game. The Democrats won the game 15-10 in seven innings.

Rep. Joe Baca (D-Calif.), who said he started warming up his arm months ago for this game, pitched all seven innings for the Democrats. The Democrats won the game for the first time since 2000. Baca stated after the game that the team was inspired by the election of President Obama this year, and that it was time for change both on and off the field.

The home-team Democrats started off the scoring with a six-run second inning against GOP starter Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.), but the Republicans quickly answered in the top of the third inning with six runs themselves.

The Democrats, aided by several fielding errors and walks, then scored nine runs in the bottom of the third off of reliever Rep. Adam Putnam (R-Fla.). The Republicans mounted a small comeback in the top of the seventh and final inning, but their three runs were not enough to win the game.

Republicans defend Congress from 'liberal coastal elites'

Rep. Geoff Davis (R-Ky.) and his fellow House Republicans held a press conference today to, according to the congressman, "defend the Congress from liberal coastal elites" that he says are responsible for the suffering of American people today, resulting from high energy prices. Davis and others continue delivering speeches on the House floor calling for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to bring Congress into an emergency session to pass energy legislation.

Davis went on to say that the views of the Speaker do not represent the views of our nation as a whole, and she should not continue to put energy reform on the back burner. Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) said that the one thing Pelosi has been unwilling to do is pass legislation that would bring immediate relief to the American people--drilling for oil in coastal and protected regions.

Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.) said that in his home district, many Americans have told him they will vote Republican in this upcoming election, some of these constituents being lifelong Democrats. Shimkus went on to say these partisan switches can be contributed to several reasons, in particular because they feel the Democratic Party has not, and continues to not do enough to help the American people.