GRANDSTANDING IN D.C.

News flash: George Soros, the billionaire benefactor of many liberal
causes, has joined one of the groups positioning to buy the
Washington Nationals baseball team. The prospect of a liberal having
a big stake in the capital's home team triggered a bit of
hyperventilation by some Republicans, including Rep. Tom Davis of
Virginia, who immediately tossed the political equivalent of
spitballs -- mentioning Soros' support for medical marijuana, his New
York residency, his dislike of President Bush and his conviction of
insider trading (in France) as evidence of his unsuitability to own a
piece of America's pastime.

Background: Perhaps it's coincidence, but one of the competing
bidding groups is headed by Fred Malek, a former aide to President
Nixon and Republican donor. So far, at least, Bush -- former
part-owner of the Texas Rangers -- has steered clear of the controversy.

Upshot: The silly flap is a sad commentary on the current level of
partisan polarization in Washington. In our view, politics should
stop at the ballpark's entrance. But hey, if Soros' bid for the
Nationals fails, we know a few professional sports franchises in the
Bay Area that could use an owner with deeper pockets. His politics
would not be a liability here.