GOP, Democrats show solidarity at game
Twice the usual number of tickets sold in outpouring of support for Steve Scalise
Thirty-six hours after a gunman’s attack on Republican lawmakers at their baseball practice, GOP and Democratic teams played their annual charity game Thursday night, determined to show unity.
Played almost every year since1909, this year’s congressional contest began with a moving tribute to the victims of the shooting, as well as the Capitol Police officers who helped take out the gunman. More than twice the usual number of tickets were sold amid an outpouring of support for House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana, who was critically wounded, and three others injured in the attack.
“It’ll sure be a different game without him there,” said Representative Cedric Richmond, the starting pitcher for the Democratic team and a longtime friend of Scalise from their days as political adversaries in the Louisiana state legislature.
Scalise was in critical condition Thursday night after another surgery, “but has improved in the last 24 hours,” according to a statement from the MedStar Washington Hospital Center. He’ll need more surgery “and will be in the hospital for some time.”
President Donald Trump, who visited Scalise Wednesday night at the Washington hospital where he remains in critical condition, didn’t attend but recorded a video message played before the game.
“By playing tonight, you are showing the world that we will not be intimidated by threats, acts of violence or assaults on our democracy,” he told the crowd. Republicans and Democrats prayed together on the field before the game. And there was a moment of silence for the shooting victims.