Secession

This is the story of a group of kids playing baseball, who take their balls and go home when they don't get their own way. The babies are also known as Republicans in Congress. Dan Bakkedahl of the Daily Show gives the portrayal in this video, Dickishness (via onegoodmove).

The original story was reported by the Wall Street Journal, then picked up by CBS News a few weeks ago, Field Of Screams On Capitol Hill. As the report noted:

For years, Republicans and Democrats in Washington have often compromised to get things accomplished. They "played ball" with each other, being aware of the realities of the system of give and take. Now, however, a group of Republicans is no longer willing to play ball with a group of Democrats. And I'm talking about softball.

For 37 years, hundreds of young Congressional aides have put their partisan feelings aside and participated in the Congressional Softball League. But during the off-season, some Republicans objected to the way the playoff system has been run. They felt that the commissioner, Democrat Gary Caruso, was "running a socialist year-end playoff system." Socialism in softball? Was there a collective farm in the outfield?

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Instead of coming up with a compromise, some Republican teams picked up their balls and bats and bolted to form a new league. Perhaps some of the Congressional aides on both sides are thinking about running for office someday. But if they can't agree on something like a softball league, how are they ever going to agree on things like taxes, Social Security, and which states get to have the most expensive, unnecessary projects? I have a feeling that both sides could have compromised on a softball playoff format without selling out their basic ideological principles.

A blog on TV shows, TV Squad, adds:

Dan Bakkedahl filed a report about the Congressional softball league. Apparently, some Republicans grew upset over the reworked playoff system, where every team is given a good chance to win. They picked up their supplies and formed their own league. Bakkedahl had an interview set up with a Republican about the issue, but the person decided to back out at the last minute due to legal issues. Bakkedahl, working with some a special clause in the Electronic Communications Regulation Act (which allows phone calls to be broadcast), called up the Republican to ask if they had any additional comments. When the Republican refused again, Bakkedahl asked if walking out on an interview reflected a "general dickishness" that probably contributed to the underwater state of New Orleans. He then added that he would take a hang-up as a yes. Dial tone on the other end. I thought this was a pretty clever report by Bakkedahl. Couldn't help but notice that his hair looks a bit like Kelsey Grammer's from some Frasier reruns... He's bald on top but has long, curly hair in the back. It's... strange.

And if you need a few more laughs about the boys on the hill, check out Jon Stewart's report that same evening, 4th Down And.

Onegoodmove's quote on that segment: Congress: Be it resolved that Republicans are major league assholes. "It's time to stand up and vote is it al Qaeda or is it America?"

Tags: Daily Show, Jon Stewart, Political Satire, Video, Bakkedahl