Feb 14, 2008

Clemens' testimony wasn't must-see TV

By Eric Gilmore / MediaNews

My eyes are bloody and my head's ready to explode. No, not really. That's just the way it feels after watching all four hours and 41 minutes of Wednesday's hearings of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Some type of medal is in order for those of us who watched every second of this festival de blowhards. Maybe an old Croix de Candlestick from the days when Giants fans who froze their backsides off at extra-inning games were so honored.

Rarely has so much been said and so little learned.

Hour after hour, committee members fired questions, insults and/or compliments at pitcher Roger Clemens and his former trainer, Brian McNamee.We heard endless talk about the Mitchell Report, a brewing "Nannygate,'' bloody gauze pads, dirty syringes, faulty timelines and a party at Jose "Juiced'' Canseco's Miami home that Clemens may or may not have attended, depending on whom you believe.

We heard Clemens say ad nauseam that he didn't use steroids or human growth hormone. We heard McNamee say ad nauseam that Clemens did.

One of the two is lying. We knew that going in. But we still don't know which one.

What was the point of this hearing, one that Connecticut Republican Christopher Dodd compared to a "Roman circus,'' complete with gladiators fighting it out? Maybe the committee could have better spent its time examining "Innovative approaches to Defeating al-Qaeda,'' or "Mortgage CEO Severance Packages,'' just two of its many other concerns.

As the hearings got under way, it didn't take long to realize we were wasting our time because the lists of those who tore Clemens a new one and those who skewered McNamee broke down largely along party lines.

Most Democrats sent their harshest questions toward Clemens. Most Republicans aimed their toughest queries toward McNamee. Who knew the Mitchell Report was such a divisive political issue? If Clemens v. McNamee has turned into partisan politics, then it's best left to the courts to sort out.

At least now we have a clearer understanding why there's political gridlock in Washington. These guys - and gals - can't agree on anything.

Indiana Republican Dan Burton spent almost all of his allotted time pointing out what a serial fibber McNamee has been.

"This is really disgusting,'' Burton said. "You're here as a sworn witness. You're here to tell the truth. You're here under oath. Yet we have lie after lie after lie after lie. ... I don't know what to believe. I know one thing not to believe, and that's you.''

That had to hurt.

From the other side of the fence, Maryland Democrat Elijah E. Cummings tried to make Clemens squirm. He reminded Clemens repeatedly that he was under oath, just so there was no doubt he faced possible perjury charges if he lied.

Cummings pointed out that Chuck Knoblauch and Andy Pettitte admitted using performance-enhancing drugs, confirming McNamee's testimony.

"So you're saying Mr. McNamee lied about you but he didn't tell lies about the other two?'' Cummings asked.

Let's just say Clemens didn't exactly answer the question.

Cummings pressed Clemens about Pettitte's contention - in a sworn affidavit - that Clemens had told him in 1999 or 2000 that he had used HGH.

"I think he misremembers our conversation,'' Clemens said.

Misremembers? Nice word.

"It's hard to believe you, sir,'' Cummings said. "I hate to say that. You're one of my heroes, but it's hard to believe you.''

It's also hard to believe that the committee let Pettitte take a pass Wednesday. Pettitte, Knoblauch and convicted steroids distributor Kirk Radomski were all dropped Monday from the list of scheduled witnesses.

That let you know that the committee wasn't truly committed to getting to the bottom of the Clemens/McNamee affair.

Many of the committee members expressed great faith in Pettitte's honesty and his affidavit. He should have been there to field questions, face to face, with the cameras rolling. He should have been there to respond to Clemens' contention that he got it all wrong about their past conversations.

Oh well. Now it's probably up to the justice department to dig deeper and determine whether to pursue perjury charges against Clemens or McNamee.

It took over two years for the feds to indict Barry Bonds on perjury charges in the BALCO scandal. You can bet Clemens won't rest easy for some time, despite his considerable efforts to convince us he's telling the truth.

Clemens didn't plead the fifth or pull a Mark McGwire. He talked so much that committee chairman Henry Waxman, a Democrat from California, had to pound his gavel to make him stop so he could finish his closing statement and, at long last, end the hearing.