Parties divided over Clemens

Republicans believed the Rocket; Democrats went with his former trainer.

WASHINGTON (AP) — In the Roger Clemens primary, the Republicans nominated the Rocket. The Democrats went with the other guy.

That was the feeling on Capitol Hill Thursday, the day after the seven-time Cy Young Award winner defended himself before Congress. Showing that even baseball isn’t exempt from America’s Red State-Blue State divide, questions such as “How did Roger do?” were often followed with something like: “Why are the two parties bickering over this?”

“Of all the things to become partisan over,” Rep. Elijah Cummings, a Maryland Democrat, said Thursday, “this was the wrong one.”

Cummings was among those who strongly questioned Clemens’ credibility in testimony involving the pitcher’s former personal trainer, Brian McNamee, during Wednesday’s 4 1/2-hour hearing held by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Republicans, for the most part, saved their searing comments for McNamee, who was repeatedly called a “drug dealer” by Rep. Christopher Shays of Connecticut.

“I thought the tone of the hearing was a little askew,” said Rep. Diane Watson, a California Democrat. “I told Mr. Clemens that I didn’t think it was going to be a court trial or an inquisition, but I think some of the members did go out of their way to be accusatory without having all of the facts.

“It is hard for me to discern who was not telling the truth and who was. Both men denied the other one’s claim. I saw the questioning kind of divided, with some on the Republican side calling Mr. McNamee a liar and some on the Democratic side really questioning Clemens, and so I don’t think we got anywhere on that.”

Theories abounded over why the sides couldn’t see eye to eye.

Richard Emery, one of McNamee’s lawyers, said that some Republicans treated his client harshly because of Clemens’ friendship with the Bush family. Emery predicted the pitcher will be pardoned by President Bush should Clemens be indicted or convicted of anything related to the hearing.

“It would be the easiest thing in the world for George W. Bush, given the corrupt proclivities of his administration, to say Roger Clemens is an American hero, Roger Clemens helped children,” said Emery, an attorney who has worked for liberal causes. “It’s my belief they have some reason to believe they can get a pardon.”

Not surprisingly, Clemens’ camp — and the GOP — saw things differently.

“Richard Emery just has to quit smoking his own dope,” said Rusty Hardin, one of Clemens’ attorneys.

As for a pardon from a president? “I’m not aware of Mr. Clemens having been charged with anything,” White House deputy press secretary Tony Fratto said.