Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, front right, videos his ride back to the locker room with teammates, LaMarr Woodley, far left, Kendall Simmons, center seat, and Willie Colon behind Simmons, following a media availability at the football team's practice facility at the University of South Florida in Tampa. President Barack Obama is rooting for the team Sunday, and will have some lawmakers over for his party. (AP photo by Gene J. Puskar)
by Mark Silvaand updated with guest list.
No passing up a chance like the Super Bowl.
For a good bipartisan bowl of chips and dips.
And a good shot at the biggest national television audience of the year:
President Barack Obama will not only play host to members of Congress at the White House on Sunday to watch the big game - he's rooting for the Steelers - but also will sit for a live interview with NBC News' Matt Lauer before the game. (This would be the TV network delivering the game in all its 6 pm EST kickoff glory.)
This comes at a time when the president is attempting to sell his economic stimulus to Congress - where not a single Republican vote was cast in favor of the plan on its first run through the House this week - and to the public at large.
On a day when the top-rated Super-commercials will be sold in one-second increments, and with Dreamworks peddling 3-D glasses at the corner store (are there any corner stores any more?) for the viewing of its new film-promoting commercial, Obama's home audience - both at the White House and at other Super Bowl parties across the country - will see a certain appeal for economic stimulus on the biggest econo-YB event of the year.
May we suggest keeping the 3-D glasses on for the $819-billion stimulus pitch? It's only getting bigger as it makes its way through the Senate.
Here, according to the White House, is the president's congressional guest list for the White House Super Bowl party:
The following is a list of elected officials who will be guests at the President's Super Bowl party:
Senator Bob Casey (D-PA)
Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL)
Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD)
Congressman Artur Davis (D-AL)
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
Congressman Charlie Dent (R-PA)
Congressman Mike Doyle (D-PA)
Congressman Trent Franks (R-AZ)
Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)
Congressman Paul Hodes (D-NH)
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes-Norton (D-DC)
Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-PA)
Congressman Fred Upton (R-MI)
Comments
How many millions of dollars are riding in that cart? Care to take your kid to a game? Good luck...I hear banks aren't lending.
Posted by: bill r. | January 30, 2009 11:03 AM
Let's hope he doesn't get drunk and pass out (I mean choke on a pretzel) and hit his head like Bush did.
Posted by: Paul | January 30, 2009 11:12 AM
With all the bad economic news getting worse every day Americans can still enjoy a national pastime such as the SUPER BOWL.
I think this is this says a lot about the old values we've inherited from our young past.
GO STEELERS!
Posted by: Thomasburns | January 30, 2009 12:02 PM
Super Bowl sunday were commercials are interruped by a FOOTBALL game
Posted by: Lee Farmington NM | January 30, 2009 12:13 PM
10 days in office: cocktail party with expensive beef dinner for House and Senate big shots, party for the staff (even the plumbers), now Super Bowl Party for members of Congress. If the taxpayers are paying for all this for the Obama's to entertain they need to practice what they preach and maybe do a sacrificing when it comes to partying. Unless this encomony is just a disaster for us and not them. He preaches gloom and doom, but seems to be living pretty darn good.
Posted by: vla | January 30, 2009 12:36 PM
Republican or Democrat, Steeler or Cardinal fan, , Vegan or carnivore, now is the time to give our new President the remote control.
Gimme some uh them chips, though.
See http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2009/01/30/superbowl-veg-out/
Posted by: Mike Licht | January 30, 2009 1:00 PM
I think that it is a great opportunity for members of Congress and the new President to relax for a moment and get to know one another. Just socialize with each other. I don't think a few snacks are going to make a difference in the White House budget.
Posted by: teri | January 30, 2009 2:39 PM
thanks so this post
Posted by: kraltvmp3 | January 31, 2009 4:17 PM
hats off to all of our young blue collar kids...who joined the military because they couldn't afford college...
fighting hard so that all americans can watch a stupid game and eat 25 cent chiken wings!!
Posted by: daniel ricocari | February 1, 2009 1:52 AM