A spirit-lifting palate cleanser at the tail end of a tumultuous week. Last night's Congressional baseball game featured several moments of inspiring unity and gratitude. President Trump's well-written and well-delivered remarks were greeted warmly by Republicans and Democrats alike. Rep. Steve Scalise, whose condition is improving but still critical, was honored with a prolonged ovation. Members of both squads huddled together around second base, the area where Scalise was shot, prior to the game for a moment of joint prayer. And one of the courageous Capitol Police officers who was wounded while protecting members of Congress from a cold-blooded mass assassination attempt made a surprise appearance to toss out the ceremonial first pitch. The crowd went wild. What a moment:
True American Hero. #CongressionalBaseballGame pic.twitter.com/kvatwHIUiJ
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) June 16, 2017
After Democrats cruised to victory in a rout (hey, they finally won something! *rimshot*) to take an all-time 40-39-1 series edge, they gifted the trophy to Scalise. A lovely gesture. I'll leave you with another moving video, this one out of Miami this afternoon. Regardless of what one thinks of President Trump's alterations to his predecessor's Cuba policy -- I support it as a prudent and measured approach -- this was a stirring moment. The backstory here is that as a little boy, the musician on stage was living in Cuba when the Castro revolution violently seized control of his country. His father, a police chief, was summarily executed. By channeling his grief into music, the boy became a very talented violinist, of whom the regime became aware, hoping to exploit his gifts for propaganda purposes. They demanded that he play a solo for the dictator's brother on national television. He refused. When soldiers were deployed to force him to perform, the terrified boy complied. He played the US national anthem. Young Luis later escaped the island's despotic regime and came to America. Today, standing before the American president, he recreated his remarkable act of defiance. Goosebumps: