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Baseball Brings Sense of Unity to Politically Divided Washington

Brian Padden

   WASHINGTON - In international diplomacy, sports can sometimes act to
   bridge bitter divides between longstanding rivals. A similar unifying
   force could be at work, at least temporarily, in America's
   politically-polarized capital city.

   Thousands of Washington Nationals fans of all political stripes came to
   watch parties in their home ballpark this week, as their team won the
   first two games of a best-of-seven baseball championship series against
   the Houston Astros in Texas.
   "I think it just gives us something bigger to do, and something bigger
   to focus on, and gives us all something to be a part of, and pay
   attention to, and fall in love with all at once," Nationals fan Sharon
   Schwei told VOA.
   The Nationals' first-ever World Series appearance is a joyful spectacle
   in a city often consumed by partisan battles. Political tensions in the
   nation's capital are at an all time high with Democrats holding an
   impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump, and many Republicans are
   crying foul.
   WATCH: What is the World Series?

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