Democrat Strategists Leaning on MLB?

Karl Rove is recognized as one of the most brilliant strategists in American politics today.  Some love, most love to hate him... but his strategies can only be acknowledged as scarily brilliant and impeccably planned out.

But that's what he's paid for... so why expect anything else.

My question tonight is:  Who's taking notes from Karl Rove in the Democratic Party?

Two nights ago, the Philadelphia Phillies were on the verge of winning their first World Series Championship since 1980.  For the city of Philadelphia, it would be the first taste of championship glory since the 76ers won the NBA finals in 1983.  However, this potentially glorious moment for the Phillies and Philadelphia sports fans was knocked off course by "Mother Nature."

Despite the steady rain throughout the game, MLB Umpires waited until the Tamp Bay Rays had the opportunity to tie the game... which they did on a Carlos Pena two-out, RBI single in the Top of the 6th Inning.

What happened in the bottom of the inning?  Well... nothing.  Minutes after Carlos Pena tied the game at two, the Umpires called for a postponement of the remained of the game.  It seemed as though the Phillies and their fan-base would have to wait another day to bring a World Series home to Philadelphia.

So waited they did.  The Phillies.  The Rays.  The fans.  All waiting another 24-hours for the potential conclusion of the 2008 World Series.

But the game never resumed. In fact, Major League Baseball declared the game postponed (again) THREE HOURS before first pitch. Here's an excerpt from MLB.com on the story:

Bob DuPuy, MLB's president and chief operating officer, called the resumption of play on Wednesday night "problematic" even though the weather is supposed to be better.

"It's going to be less wet, less windy and less cold than today, but it's still problematic," he said. "The Commissioner wants to avoid what happened last night and that the game is finished with full integrity."

So the weather is going to "be better," but Bud Selig wants to avoid "what happened last night."  Is it that far fetched to wonder how in the world last night can be repeated if the weather is going to be vastly improved from the night before?

Here's the underlying story that's being ignored:  Barack Obama's 30-minute commercial.

This commercial was threatened to proceed a re-run of COPS or King of the Hill rather than a World Series game... and, better yet, a potential SERIES CLINCHING World Series game.

Funny how that worked out, huh?

Don't get me wrong here.  I support Sen. Obama.  I'll be voting for him a week from today when the polls open.  But this seems a little too blatant for me to just ignore.  The postponement of this game for two-days will not guarantee Sen. Obama's commercial receives the FOX Sports audience (typically blue-collar Joe "Six Pack" / Joe "the Plummer" types) rather than the Simpson's audience (college kids... you know... the one's voting for him already).

If I'm giving the Democratic Party too much credit here... then I'm (not) sorry.  If this was some sort of strategic move, kudos.  If not... it's still interesting to suppose what was going on behind the scenes in the Commissioner's Office as Bud Selig and the Fox exec's rooted passionately for the Rays to tie the game before they inserted their feet in their respective mouths.

Luckily for them, Carlos Pena saved the day and will now receive the AL MVP and a seat on soon-to-be President Obama's cabinet.