Manny being Manny means Manny doesn't have to be at the White House with rest of his teammates, if he doesn't want to be.

Obviously, he didn't.

Ramirez was conspicuously absent when the Red Sox flew from their spring training site in Fort Myers to Washington, D.C., for a ceremony Wednesday on the South Lawn of the White House at which President George Bush honored the 2007 World Series Champions.

Team captain Jason Varitek was there. World Series MVP Mike Lowell was there. David "Big Papi" Ortiz was there, carrying the World Series championship trophy. Pitching ace Josh Beckett was there, along with the fireballing, and riverdancing, Jonathan Papelbon, the Sox's colorful - and highly effective - closer.

Curt Schilling was there, and so were, among others, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jon Lester, Kevin Youkilis, Hideki Okajima, Clay Buchholz, Bobby Kielty and Daisuke Matsuzaka, whose presence prompted President Bush to quip that he and the Japanese pitcher had something in common: "We both have trouble answering questions in English."

Manny, as was also the case after the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004, was not there, which elicited another joke from the president.

"I'm sorry Manny isn't here," Mr. Bush said. "I guess his grandmother died again."

"Just kidding," the smiling president quickly added. "Tell Manny I didn't mean it."

Mr. Bush was zipping off one-liners the way Ellsbury zips around the bases, poking fun at Papelbon by saying: "The guy pitches almost as well as he dances. And I appreciate the dress code. Thanks for wearing pants."

But the president also had some serious things to say -- in particular when he thanked the Red Sox for taking the time, during their quick visit to the Capitol, to visit wounded veterans at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

"These champs," Bush said, "have got a chance to bring some joy in somebody's heart, and I want to thank you for really honoring the true heroes of the United States of America, those who wear the uniform of our country."

Manny, being Manny, passed up that chance.

Oh, he was delighted, upon passing his citizenship test a few years ago, to run out to left field at Fenway waving a small American flag.

And why wouldn't he be? It's a great country that will pay a man $20 million a year to hit a baseball.

It's easy to wave a flag. What's not so easy is to defend that flag.

When it came time for payback, to do a little something for servicemen who help make it possible for Ramirez to make as much money as he does, Manny couldn't be bothered.

Instead of visiting veterans, some of whom lost limbs in the service of their country, Manny opted to stay in Florida. Even sitting in first class, it could be uncomfortable, not to mention inconvenient, flying for a few hours. Not quite like the discomfort endured by a wounded 19-year-old having to walk with the aid of a prosthetic device for the rest of his life, but, Manny being Manny, it's doubtful that thought ever crossed his self-centered mind.

Ramirez, who emigrated to the Land of the Free, and the Home of the Brave, from the Dominican Republic -- not exactly the Land of Opportunity -- when he was 13, had, as President Bush said, "a chance to bring some joy in somebody's heart" and honor some true "heroes, those who wear the uniform of our country."

While Manny is a certified baseball hero who certainly has brought joy to the hearts of Red Sox fans with his clutch hitting, heaven forbid that any devoted citizen of Red Sox Nation ever confuse Ramirez with being a true hero, simply because wears the uniform of their favorite baseball team.

Not when he can't be bothered to fly a few hours to spend a few minutes with wounded veterans who proudly wore the uniform of their country, and now his country.

He doesn't want to visit with the president? Fine. That's his prerogative. It's not inconceivable that a few of those wounded veterans might not want to shake hands with the president, either.

And, while it's interesting that Ramirez clearly considers himself to be special, that he obviously believes his obligations to the team are not the same as those of his teammates, that's a problem for the Red Sox to deal with in the clubhouse, and as an organization.

But turning his back on hospitalized veterans?

That's inexcusable and unforgivable.

It's also Manny, being Manny.