The New York Times's Julie Bosman writes:
Memo to Barack Obama: It could be dangerous to mess with the national pasttime. Yet that is what Mr. Obama has done in trying to buy a 30-minute block of time on Oct. 29 on three networks - including Fox News, which just happens to be running the World Series. Because of the request, Major League Baseball has agreed to push back the first pitch that night. That immediately drew the rebuke of the Republican National Committee, which portrayed the ad buy as another example of Mr. Obama putting himself first. (The theme of Senator John McCain, the Republican nominee, is "Country First.") "It's unfortunate that the World Series' first pitch is being delayed for Obama's political pitch," Alex Conant, a spokesman for the R.N.C., said in a statement. He added later, via instant message, of Mr. Obama: "He puts himself first - literally."