WASHINGTON — It’s going to be some hard-hitting stuff.
Female members of Congress are vowing to put the women of the DC press corps in their place this week — during the annual all-women Congressional Softball Game.
“The press will probably report it as ‘mostly peaceful,’ but make no mistake. … It’s going to be an ass-whooping. For charity, of course,” a confident Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.) told The Post ahead of Wednesday’s game.
“Very bipartisan of us,” Cammack quipped.
The congressional group is riding high off its 5-3 win over the media’s “Bad News Babes” team during last year’s game, which was cut short because of thunderstorms.
The annual softball showdown between the women of Congress and the female press began in 2009 and has raised about $5 million to date for the Young Survival Coalition in support of breast-cancer survivors.
The match-up is similar to the iconic Congressional Baseball Game, which sees Republican and Democratic coed teams compete against each other every year to raise money for charity.
“The softball game is one of the few bipartisan activities left in the Washington,” noted The Post’s star bat-swinging White House correspondent and captain of the “Bad News Babes,” Emily Goodin.
“Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle team up to take on the press. And we all join in on the common cause of beating breast cancer,” Goodin said.
Since the Congressional Softball Game’s inception, the “Bad News Babes” have won 10 games, compared to Team Congress’ five victories.
Goodin believes the media’s defeat last year was an aberration.
“The press is looking forward to reclaiming its victory crown from the lawmakers after a sudden thunderstorm handed them an unexpected victory last year,” she said. “Beat cancer, beat Congress!”
Wednesday’s forecast indicates there will be some rain in the early morning hours but then remain clear for the rest of the day.
So no more thunderstorms to save Team Congress this time.
Team Congress also could theoretically face attendance complications because of House leadership scrapping the previously planned session this week, meaning most representatives are currently back in their districts campaigning for the midterms.
But the Senate remains in session, which means senators will be around ,and many representatives on Team Congress are planning to be in town to defend their crown.
“The Congressional Softball Game is an event I look forward to every year,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (D-WV) tolThe Post. “As a team captain, it’s always a lot of fun to lead my team in some friendly competition with members of the press.
“More importantly, this event gives us an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of early detection and breast cancer prevention,” she said. “I’m looking forward to tomorrow night’s game and am confident my colleagues from the Hill will be ready to bring home a win.”
