Yikes. What a dog’s breakfast of strange, arbitrary, partisan and arguable choices, with the question that keeps coming to mind being, “Why X and not Y?”

Other questions: why non-Americans, like Margaret Thatcher? How does a Pope qualify? (That’s fake Catholic Biden’s work…..his recipients may have been the worst, but its a close race.) Why former Presidents and First Ladies? Why Frank Sinatra and not Bing Crosby, unless there’s a special horse-head-in-the-bed requirement for crooners? Should a draft-dodger (Muhammad Ali) be given a medal originally created to honor civilians who made notable contributions to the war effort in World War II? Did Ted Kennedy, who was guilty of a cruel and cowardly manslaughter of a young woman and had the crime covered up by his Machiavellian family deserve that honor? It is also clear that dying violently, or just barely avoiding a violent death (Gabby Giffords) somehow makes one a better candidate for the medal.

In retrospect, Clemens definitely doesn’t look like the worst recipient when there are so many Ethics Villains on the list (Liz Cheney, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi…and why in the world did racist Strom Thurmond get the award?) not to mention some who were recognized before we knew what awful people they are, like Bill Cosby and Dr. Fauci.

As you can see in the list above of prior recipients from the world of baseball, Clemens is definitely the worst of that group because his longevity and extended excellence is tainted by the likelihood of steroid abuse. Yes, Pete Rose would be even worse, and Trump may give the former (and dead) compulsive liar, felon and banned all-time hits leader the distinction yet. But what a disgrace to pick Clemens rather than Cal Ripken Jr., the Orioles icon whose career is a monument to team play, perseverance, determination, and professionalism. Not only did Ripken surpass Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games played record, he has been a worthy role model, promoting minor league baseball and promoting charities.

There are literally hundreds of better candidates than many of the representatives of the arts and pop culture given the honor—don’t get me started. Still, Clemens is an objectively terrible choice, except, perhaps to Texans, and that’s all Trump cared about at the moment. Maybe the President identifies with the Rocket, who has also suffered from betrayals by a former trusted employee; after all, Clemens’ long-time personal trainer blew the whistle on his steroid use.

It’s still no excuse.