The Railer scored a timely interview with Major League Baseball Commissioner, Rob Manfred. With the controversy swirling around MLB’s decision to move the All-Star Game from Atlanta to Denver, Manfred’s comments here are sure to be informative and controversial.
The Railer: Many say that moving the ASG to Denver is a slap in the face of African Americans. Agree or disagree?
Manfred: We have our own reasons for moving the game, but Stacy Abrams was a big help, giving us cover to revive our original Denver plan. We love Stacy and were able to strike a deal. We used to call on Jesse Jackson for favors like this, but he and his sons became too greedy. Besides, with all the great rappers out there, Jesse’s old-school rhymes don’t work anymore – they’re just embarrassing. Stacy’s the new Queen of Wakanda, that’s what we call “diversity” at Augusta. We told her, “whip up Wakanda over the new Georgia voting law and we’ll help you solidify your power in Georgia and beyond. She’s looking forward to replacing Joe in 2024 so this is a win-win for all involved. If we had kept the Atlanta site, air dropped those hundreds of millions of dollars into black communities and businesses, then she’d have a problem.
And if people actually looked at the new Georgia law, they’d learn there’s no harm there. Even now, under the new law, it’s easier to vote in Georgia than in my home state of New York. The “worse than Jim Crow and no water bottles for old ladies” narrative, that’s the talking points we got from the new administration’s people. Joe (Biden) and Jen (Psaki) have been pushing those lines, somehow managing to keep a straight face. Even though Joe got four Pinocchio’s from the WaPo, the people he cares about don’t read newspapers. They also seem to have forgotten that Democrats wrote and enforced those Jim Crow laws. Their spin isn’t true, but it worked. Pretty “ballsy” stuff as we like to say. I leave the biggest lies for the politicians. MLB kept blacks out until 1947, I think we did pretty good. But back to Georgia, 2021. Queen Abrams knows her power comes from chaos, not order. She gets to wave the race grievance flag in national media, fundraise, keep Atlanta down, and we get what we want. Everybody’s happy.
The Railer: Are you saying that Denver was your first choice?
Manfred: That’s right. Atlanta is over 50% black, Denver is less than 10%. Atlanta’s crime rate is exploding. It’s almost lawless as the police have basically given up. The downtown hotels are junk and the transit system, … let me just stop there. So why would I tell my Augusta friends, my Manhattan friends, my Silicon Valley friends, “hey, come to Atlanta, stay in second rate hotels and get car jacked?” Those folks are accustomed to a higher-level fan experience. We can offer that in Denver.
The Railer : Some critics point to your membership at Augusta National Golf Club as evidence of racism and hypocrisy. What do you say to that?
Manfred: Listen, Augusta is an old and venerable institution. It’s probably the most exclusive club in the world, basically the last place where white billionaires can relax, do deals, and say what they really think without the usual filters, talking points, handlers, and euphemisms. Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Roger Goodell, Hugh McColl, Ginni Rometty, …, those are the types of folks I see and enjoy at Augusta. Mostly men, but we invited a few token women to join recently, it seemed to placate the woke. But it hasn’t been enough to alter the uber-rich, white, boy’s club atmosphere that we enjoy.
I’m also an Augusta member because it is home of the Masters. Thanks to Covid, we had the tournament to ourselves last year. We’ve long dreamed of making it a private event and finally got the chance to do it in November. We’ve hosted the Master’s tournament for nearly two centuries, ever since the event was created as a celebration of Southern Democrat Plantation Masters. We’ve since updated our historic tournament with professionals but if you use a little imagination, today’s field doesn’t look much different. This annual celebration faithfully recalls our tournament’s Confederate legacy and glory. My friends and I really enjoy it.
The Railer : Looking ahead, MLB is expanding in China, doesn’t that present a conflict given their human rights record?
MLB likes the China model. Xi and I have a great relationship because we’re really very similar leaders. China knows that unity, not diversity, is strength. We see things the same way. They had a Uighur problem and they’re dealing with it – effectively. They’ve flooded Xinjiang with ethnic Hans, they’re raping and sterilizing Uighur women, they’re remodeling the mosques into government community centers, they’re reeducating those people in special built walled communities, introducing them to pork, alcohol, and raising their education credentials with the teachings of Mao and Xi. In one or two generations they’ll have a Final Solution. Heck, in 50 years, we won’t be talking about Hong Kong, Taiwan, Xinjiang, Tibet, or any of this because China is proactively addressing these social challenges today. In the U.S., we just talk, talk, talk, argue, argue, argue. I’m tired of it.
You see, China’s lack of diversity really simplifies our marketing and penetration. One game, one message, one plan, and the Chinese government is a great partner. Business there is simple, we tell them what we want, and they say how much it will cost. No “red” tape, pardon the pun, no committees, just MLB and Xi working for mutual benefit.
The Railer : But just last week, in your statement on moving the game, you said “Fair access to voting continues to have our game’s unwavering support.” What about Chinese elections?
In China they don’t even hold elections. They don’t need to. Democrats here just sent the Senate their “voting rights bill,” HR1. I love how they name these things, where the bill and its title are opposites. Anyway, we see that as a good step towards the China governing model. I’m looking forward to the day when we don’t need to hold elections here. One party rule really simplifies my job as manager of a monopoly like MLB. More generally, it’s just wayyy easier for me and my Augusta friends to get things done… for the American people, of course.
Disclaimer: Occasionally, The Railer likes to practice mainstream media techniques, publishing fake news as the real thing. The Railer cautions that sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference.