President Barack Obama at the basketball meeting of the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards. (Photo by Evan Vucci / AP)
by Mark Silva and updated
President Barack Obama, wearing a black collarless shirt and slacks with a collared black jacket, left the White House tonight for a night of bigtime basketball in downtown Washington.
The presidential motorcade reached the Verizon Center arena in five minutes, entering through a loading dock.
The president arrived on the arena floor this evening, taking his courtside seat opposite the Wizards' bench amid general pandemonium.
He was taking in the evening's Bulls-Wizards contest with Chicago friend Marty Nesbitt.
The president's adopted hometown Wahington team had seized a 27-18 lead over the president's hometown Chicago team after the first quarter, powered by 13 points from forward Antawn Jamison.
With 45 seconds left in the first half, the president left his courtside seat for the owner's box, two dozen rows behind the team benches.
Throughout halftime, people seated in the section in front of the owner's suite stood with their backs to the floor, oblivious to the halftime act.
White House staff, including senior adviser David Axelrod, speechwriter Jon Favreau and presidential personal assistant Reggie Love, sat near the president's courtside vantage, six rows behind a basket.
After two quarters, the Bulls had cut their game deficit to 45-49, with optimistic Chicago fans projecting a surplus by the end of the fourth quarter.
The president, for his part, has vowed to cut the deficit in half. But by the end of the game, things were not looking so Bullish.
(Photo of Bulls-fan-in-chief with a beverage: Gerald Herbert / AP)
Three minutes into the second half, the president returned to his courtside seat, greeted by a standing ovation and a swinging two-handed dunk by Chicago's Joakim Noah,.
The president was joined courtside by Chicago friend and hoops partner Eric Whitaker for the rest of the game.
As Washington stretched its lead past 20 points in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter, the president left the house.
His motorcade took four minutes to return to the White House.
The Wizards finished the game with 113 points to the Bull's 90.
Not a record deficit.
Comments
You think Obama is Cool? Look at the kid next to him; now that is COOL!
Aint youth great?
Posted by: barkleyg | February 27, 2009 10:38 PM
At least we have a president who is athletic, poised, disciplined and can drink a beer without fear of a relapse.
As opposed to the cheerleader wannabe cowboy reformed coke addict alcoholic silver spoon war mongering punk that destroyed America and still claims that he did it all in the name of Allah.
And he traded Sammy Sosa to boot.
Now who do you want to have a beer with?
Seriously!
Posted by: Bubba ✔ | February 28, 2009 12:04 AM
Final score: 113-90. The 4 point halftime deficit increased to 23.
The Bulls ended up cutting the deficit they created about as much as Obama will cut the deficit he's created.
Posted by: Inconvenient Truth | February 28, 2009 8:28 AM
No beer with either of those two. BO is way too touchy feely even when he's completely sober. He isn't much of a basketball player either from what I've seen. I can't forgive that. I guess his coach thought so too because he sat on the bench mostly.
I'd go have a beer with Bill Clinton though, and then afterward, have a little two on two with some ladies.
Posted by: Rob | February 28, 2009 9:31 AM
Breaking News!....Obama sneezed this morning! I would rather have a beer with a real man like GEORGE W. BUSH any day. Bush would talk about how great this country is....Obama would (like all liberals) just trash this country!
NOBAMA! NO SOCIALISM!
Posted by: Joe | February 28, 2009 10:42 AM
Oddly enough, Joe, I'd rather have a beer with Bush, too. And I'm a democrat. He seems like a nice enough guy, So does Obama, actually. WE ARE ALL AMERICANS.
But I'd much rather have Obama as president.
Republicans, like you, who have nothing intelligent to say are very annoyng. You can only call people names like "socialist". I also can't stand democrats on this blog that simply call republicans "fascist" among other names.
How about trying some intelligent conversation instead of borish name-calling? And that goes for both sides of the issue.
Posted by: Dave Y | February 28, 2009 12:54 PM
joe,
But GWB can't hold his likker.
Neither could Poppie Bush. He ralphed in the Japanese premier's lap.
BHO may go touchy feely, but GWB goes psycho.
But it just might be a lunatic you're lookin' for.
Posted by: OldCreaky | February 28, 2009 2:32 PM
Obama was disappointed? That makes me happy.
Posted by: vla | February 28, 2009 2:52 PM
omg, shut UP! "Nobama"? Seriously?
Posted by: Ashley | February 28, 2009 7:46 PM
Can't be photographed with alcohol or be heard uttering a 4 letter word.
Even at 70%
Tell me that was Iced tea.
Posted by: ornery | March 1, 2009 9:25 AM
The last president was athletic. As for a coke addict, we only have rumors. Whereas this one bragged about it in his autobiography. Way to set an example for the kids on all courts! Anyone who seriously drinks would be scared to think they'd just wake up one day and give it up. Gotta respect a man who cand o that. When did Obama give up "blow"? Did he ever? Go watch basketball games while people's 401(k)s are in the toilet, they're being fired, and thrown out of their homes. Super.
Posted by: Chico | March 2, 2009 3:34 PM