War and Baseball Do Mix

With all the service photo-ops lately (Monday, Tuesday), I’m having more and more trouble separating the Administration’s “support our troops” meme from the outright endorsement of militarism and even pro-war cheerleading.

First Lady and Mrs. Biden’s emotional World Series photo-op takes compassion for wounded vets, adds it to passion for two great American pastimes — war and baseball — and mixes it all in a blender.

Michelle’s embrace of the Yankee’s Derek Jeter is a poignant counterpoint to Yankee executive, Tony Ordiernos’ lost hand. And then, Ordierno, a wounded vet, is the glue that ties one field of action to the other, Ordierno being the son of the U.S. Commander in Iraq and also a member of the Yankee family. And then Yogi, a Yankee Great, was on the field last night for the nostalgic link to “the great War.”

(image revised/title changed 8:30 am PST)

(photo: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters. pPre-game ceremonies before Game 1 of the 2009 Major League Baseball World Series in New York, October 28, 2009)