White Sox at White House: Where's 44?

by Mark Silva

President Barack Obama, back in town today, has a budget-cutting challenge for his Cabinet and some words of support for the CIA.

The question is, will he see the White Sox?

The president will convene his Cabinet late this morning, and, as he noted in his weekly address on Saturday, will ask them to come up with some budget cuts as he sets out in search of waste in the federal government. Our colleague and friend, Michael Fletcher, at the Washington Post, reports that the president will set a goal, $100 million in cuts, and a deadline, 90 days.

The president also will travel to CIA headquarters in Langley, Va., this afternoon - the George Bush Intelligence Center, named for the 41st president and former CIA director - in the aftermath of releasing Bush 43 administration memoranda that supported the use of harsh interrogation tactics, for which no one at the CIA will be prosecuted, the 44th president announced last week.

He will meet privately with the CIA, but offer a public comment about the importance of its mission to national security. He and Vice President Joe Biden also plan a meeting with Defense Secretary Robert Gates later this afternoon back at the White House.

But if there is a rendezvous planned with the White Sox, they haven't let on: A group of about 35, including players, team officials and family, are getting a tour of the White House today. The White Sox, seven and five so far and positioned in a three-way tie for first place in the American League Central, have a game with Baltimore at Camden Yards on Tuesday night. They also have a fan in the White House

White Sox spokesman Scott Reifert says the group's private guided tour ithis afternoon was set up by Obama senior adviser David Axelrod, baseball fan.