Bonds broke the home run record Tuesday night.
WASHINGTON (CNN) – After a couple of tries, President Bush and Barry Bonds finally connected.
White House spokesman Tony Snow told CNN the president reached Bonds by telephone about 1pm ET on Wednesday for a three-minute conversation congratulating the controversial slugger for hitting his 756th home run, smashing the Major League Baseball record previously held by Hank Aaron.
“You’ve always been a great hitter,” the president told Bonds, according to Snow. “And you broke a great record.”
The president had been struggling to reach Bonds on the West Coast since early Wednesday morning. “The president was asleep when Barry Bonds hit his home run,” Snow explained. “Barry Bonds was asleep when the president came to work today.”
During the brief conversation, the president noted he enjoyed learning that the ballplayer lifted his son, Nikolai, in the air after reaching home plate. Snow said Mr. Bush joked he and the young bat boy for the San Francisco Giants both know “what it’s like to have a famous father.”
Asked if the touchy subject of steroids came up during the conversation since Bonds has been under a cloud of suspicion for alleged use of the performance-enhancing drug, Snow said no. In his 2005 State of the Union address, the president, a former owner of the Texas Rangers, publicly called for baseball to clean up its act on the matter without singling out any particular players.
– CNN White House Correspondent Ed Henry
From CNN Politics
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who cares!!! our stupid "culture of celebrity" is so shallow and hollow–that's why so many people get murdered/killed!!! we all need to go *hunt and gather* for a week, and hug a few trees.
I agree Mark! I wonder if Bush has talked personally to every soldiers' family, who has died in Iraq!
who cares
One who cheated his way to the Presidency congratulates one who cheated his way to a record.
Cassie...you are naive..it is very unreasonable to ask bush to have a 3 minute conversation with every soldier who has served in iraq...iraq has nothing to do with barry bonds .
Wonder why it really mattes to the Prez that Bonds broke a record – not that he did it with any sort of integrity or anything... BIG DEAL!! Call the families of our dead and wounded soldiers!!!
Perfect, two stubborn idiots on one line. what a connection!
You mean that W actually knows what baseball is??
Someone on his staff must have briefed him....thant's the ticket...
Oh brother! Who cares is right. I can't believe Bush is wasting his time on this, and that the media is bothering to report it.
The answer is yes, Cassie. Bush does personally call those families. I wonder if Hillary feels the same responsibility??
Actually, I think its kinda cool how President Bush shows his sense of humor with the joke about "Famous Father".
There is a long precedent of Presidents congratulating those who acheive some great milestone. Had the President *NOT* called, then that would have been viewed as a slap in the face.
People can whine and complain about the steroid issue all day long, but dont think he was the only one in history (especially BEFORE they had tests for drugs) and rest assured that drugs alone dont account for the achievement.
Bonds did something that you couldnt and few have ever come close... He is a professional ball player who is among the best of the best. For those who complain about him... How many homeruns did you hit from your lazy-boy chair?
I think all the complaints about Bush calling Bonds is silly. Afterall, Bush is the President and i am sure protocol requires him to congratulate greatness in this country. But to compare Bonds with Bush – now that is uterly stupid – they have nothing in common except they both make the news. And for Bush to call all families who have lost loved ones or whose loved ones have been badly injured – well you see you really have to CARE ABOUT YOUR MEN AND WOMEN who are fighting YOUR WAR!. I think our flags all over the country should remain at half mast until every single soldier is brought home, but that is me. I am proud of our soldiers and I pray for them and their families every single night – do you????
And look at this way our President is so far removed from this war but he does like baseball OK. Stupid? Yes, but then so is Bush
Bush WOULD connect with Bonds; after all, they both cheated to get where they are today!
Gee... I wonder if there was any "wire-tapping"??
One who cheated his way to the Presidency congratulates one who cheated his way to a record.
Posted By J Stoneson, Bangor, Maine : August 8, 2007 3:24 pm
Bingo!
Suspicions confirmed: Our president has no moral compass. Bonds hit most of those home runs when he was using steroids. Only a president of virtually no accomplishments would go out of his way to congratulate someone for such a dubious one.
Prihi . . . your remark doesn't belong if you just want to be a jerk about others comments. Iraq and Bonds DO have something in common . . . they are both lame excuses for not taking any real responsibility for your actions, and both are predicated on compounded lies. Have a nice day.
How is this any different than the president honoring all of the sports teams that have won championships at the White House? If you wan to complain about the war, then do so, but how about keeping things in their proper perspective.
RB, Dont get me wrong, I think Bonds and Bush should both be shot into the sun on a space rocket, but Bush used to own the Texas Rangers so I think he knows a little bit about baseball. Good try.
wow! i love it! finally 1 issue we ALL HAVE CONSENSUS/AGREE ABOUT!! 2 cheaters!
smashing the Major League Baseball record previously held by Hank Aaron.
I'd say "barely squeezing past" Mr. Aaron's record is more accurate. Bonds is only one HR over the mark that Mr. Aaron held for a few decades.
And RightyTighty ... you've been misled: Bush does not personally call the families of our war dead. Probably Hillary does not feel "the same responsibility", because it is not her responsibility and will never be ... we have war dead because of lies put forth and decisions made by Bush and his Gang. It's his responsibility that he's shirking.
For those of you who wonder why political issues get injected into these comments, it's because our Commander in Chief, during wartime, is busy calling Barry Bonds instead of spending his every waking moment working on solutions to the impasse(s) his policies have brought us to. Completely irresponsible behavior, and not what he was hired to do.
Well, at least there's one potential lawbreaker that Bush has mentioned in a State of The Union address that Bush can actually find.
It sure is a good thing Bin Laden doesn't do steroids or play baseball. Then we'd really be in a game of pickle.
* Aided by prohibited substances
** Abetted by lies and obstruction
*** Not half the man Aaron was
**** Not a role model, just a ballplayer
wow! (if I could make the fone smaller). The steroid industry must be proud. Let's start marketing to Little League next. I dare you to post this. Or has the 5th amendment been bought out too?
You mean that W actually knows what baseball is??
Someone on his staff must have briefed him….thant’s the ticket…
Posted By RB-Chicago, IL : August 8, 2007 3:38 pm
Bush did own the Texas Rangers you know. Do your research.