The former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus raised his national profile at the '05 hearings when he directly asked McGwire if he was asserting his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself, forcing McGwire to make his meek responses about "the past." Now, the Maryland Democrat has said he wants this investigation to be about the kids. "I'm worried about children who try to emulate the players, believing the only way to be successful is to perhaps use steroids," Cummings told the Los Angeles Times. The problem is, it's hard to see how this particular soap opera is for the benefit of America's youth. The fact that the hearing was trimmed down at the last minute to just Clemens and McNamee only adds to the cynicism about its motives.
— by Sean Gregory