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Untruth Be Told

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The Washington Post's Mike Wise guides a behind-the-scenes tour on Capitol Hill during the Roger Clemens steroid hearing.

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The entire hearing was high drama, and it was unfortunately taken over by partisan politics. The Red Staters, with perhaps one exception, went after McNamee as hard as they could, trying to paint the guy from a liberal state as a desperate liar who wanted to get back at his former employer. The Democrats pounded the athlete from Texas, hitting hard at all the core values Clemens will probably profess on his deathbed.

"It's hard to believe you, sir," said Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) to Clemens in probably the most honest assessment of the day's events. "I hate to say that. You're one of my heroes, but it's hard to believe you."

The most ridiculous of grandstanders was Clemens backer Dan Burton (R-Ind.), who treated McNamee worse than the Clintons during his Whitewater questioning.

But the congressman was right about one thing, when he referred to Clemens as "a titan."

Years ago, Clemens gave his essence away on, of all shows, "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous." He couldn't just renew his vows to his Debbie in a small civil ceremony before their children; no, Clemens had to co-opt Robin Leach and do it up big and right, at a resort in Hawaii.

Clemens's largesse has always defined the mercurial person and the burly pitcher who no longer belongs in the Hall of Fame. From his incendiary temper to his gaudy statistics, the Rocket does nothing small.

Under oath, on Capitol Hill, he cemented his legend yesterday. Roger Clemens, who won't believe the ugly truth about his career, is now a titan of deceit.

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