It's nice to see a politician not jump a bandwagon or get all diplomatic about what team he (or she) is rooting for. Remember when erstwhile Cubs fan Hillary Clinton took all that heat for apparently suddenly getting Yankees fever when she was a New York Senate candidate? (Her quote at the time even became the title of a book). (Update: Media Matters claims the Hillary-Yankees kerfuffle was a media myth.)
Anyway, in this clip President Obama basically says, sorry Arizona and good luck, but I've gotta go with steel city on Sunday. "Other than the Bears, the Steelers are probably the team closest to my heart," the president declares. (Of course, Obama lost Arizona and won Pennsylvania, so maybe it's a little bit of payback?)
Some political and sports junkies might remember that Obama's team allegiances weren't so clear cut during the World Series last year. Here's Jon Stewart busting candidate Obama for a bit of baseball pandering:
WASHINGTON -President Barack Obama is getting used to leaving events before they end even when he doesn't have to. Obama on Monday mistakenly left a White House ceremony honoring two activists' work...
Morally bankrupt Democrat politicians have never met a sports demographic to which they couldn’t pander. Remember Hillary the Cubs/Yankees fan? Give me a break! Tell me again, Obama has what in common with Pittsburgh?
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Cube
10:10PM Jan 30th 2009
CALEB IS PALIN! BUT SHE ONLY HAD THREE TEAMS. Great video.
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bonbon
10:36PM Jan 30th 2009
now this is one story I can honestly say
I really do not give a damn, .
frankly if someone laughs at me, calls me names and did what the Big ZERO did to the people of PA which reflected how he really felt about all of us.
I am not sure I would vote for him, much less care what team he supports.
but hey apparently they just did not understand.
Hillary stood up for you, for us all, and well ...
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Poll Patrol
11:01PM Jan 30th 2009
Good for Obama but please stop perpetuating Dick Morris myth that HRC wasn't a Yankees fan.
From Media Matters:
However, the idea that Clinton switched allegiance from the Chicago Cubs to the New York Yankees during her Senate campaign is a myth commonly repeated in the media and not supported by evidence. Clinton's 2003 autobiography contains a photograph of her wearing a Yankees cap in 1992, and The Washington Post reported in 1994 that "Mrs. Clinton ... as a kid was a 'big-time' fan of the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees and 'understudied' Ernie Banks and Mickey Mantle."
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Peggy
11:31PM Jan 30th 2009
Of course he's a Steelers fan NOW. He'll need Pennsylvania when he runs for reelection. Having Arizona on his side would help but the chances that he'd carry Arizona in any election are slim to none.
Never kid yourself that Obama says or does anything that doesn't have some political upside for him.
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Voice of Reason
1:30AM Jan 31st 2009
actually ...he sad that he is a Bears fan in his heart...but if he has to choose he said he would go with the Steelers...
fyi...his reelection is some ways away...the best way to get reelected is to deliver on the economy...picking a football team is not enough...and if any of you snarky folks were paying attention to his conference this morning he says that he wants to be judged on whether or not he has made a difference in the lives of middle class families and those struggling to be in the middle class...
he gave you objective measures to use to judge whether he has earned your vote...time will be the test
i don't think serious people care about what football team he chooses if the choice is the superbowl or the economy....
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kathy
1:56AM Jan 31st 2009
Well I'll be cheering with the President this Sunday, always loved the Steel Curtain!
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bonbon
2:32AM Jan 31st 2009
just found the Big ZERO's plan to stimulate the economy
from Obama 08
total cost 75 billion
what is interesting is what is in the very last paragraph, very last sentence, from page one
"The goal should be to lessen the pain that would occur from an economy-wide slowdown, not to use American"s economic hardship as a rationale for enacting an ideologically driven agenda."
in other words, no earmarks.
I could not find a date anywhere but it did refer that it would be his goal on day one as presdient.and had his Obama 08 logo
and espcially since he considered 75 billion a good stimulus amount,
and his package now is actually 11 times this proposal.
and apparently is very IDEOLOGICALLY driven ,
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nick
9:36AM Jan 31st 2009
Now I wonder why the thug is pulling for the Steelers???? Since he is I'm for the Cardnials.
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james
10:02AM Jan 31st 2009
Yes we morally bankrupt democrats are losing our way without our great moral compass George Bush to show us the way by daily example. What a charismatic leader--stirring speaker, military genius, and financial wizard! All this Obama does is obey those stupid laws, work every day, be honest, and communicate with America. How boring..
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sandnsun
10:12AM Jan 31st 2009
Obama violates his OWN (FIRST DAY ) ETHICS bill and hires many, many lobbyists to his staff the ever growing list of lobbyists Obama has on staff
1. Eric Holder / lobbyists for Global Crossing. 2. Tom Vilsack/ lobbyists for National Education Association. 3. William Lynn / lobbyists for Raytheon. 4. William Corr / Campaign For Tobacco-Free Children 5. David Hayes/ San Diego Gas & Electric. 6. Mark Patterson / Chief Of Staff to TREASURY SECRETARY TIMOTHY GEITHNER and registered as a lobbyists for "GOLDMAN-SACHS" as recently as LAST YEAR! 7. Ron Klain / CHEIF OF STAFF TO VP JOE BIDEN lobbyists for Coalition for Asbestos Resolution , U.S. Airway, Airborne Express, & drug maker ImClone. 8. Mona Sutphen /deputy White House chief of staff lobbyists for Angliss International. 9. Melody Barnes / domestic policy council director lobbyists for American Civil Liberties Union, Leadership Conference On Civil Rights, The American Constitution Society and Center For Reproductive Rights. 10. Cecilia Munoz / White House director of intergovernmental affairs as recently as last year lobbyist for National Council Of La Raza. 11. Patrick Gaspard / White House political affairs director lobbyist for the Service Employees International Union. 12. Michael Strautmanis/ chief of staff to the PRESIDENT'S assistant for international relations, lobbyists for American Association Of Justice.
and Obama hires Tim Geithner & Tom Dashle who don't pay the ever so patriotic taxes?
What was his words again.... "Lobbyists won't find a job at my White House" quote...
"Let me say it as simply as I can,"Transparency and the rule of law will be touchstones of this presidency"
Obama said this during his first full day on the job........ clear as mud Obama... clear as mud...but transparent? someone please hand the President a dictionary...
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bonbon
11:29AM Jan 31st 2009
to sandnsun
or maybe we could hand him a copy of his plan to stimulate the economy from Obama 08
where he stated
" The goal should be to lessen the pain that would occur from an economy-wide slowdown, not to use American's economic hardship, as a rationale for enacting an ideologically driven agenda. "
now I think this means we should not use a stimulus package to add earmarks,
now this is the change we cannot believe in, at work, yet again
Groucho Marx: From the 1932 movie "Horse Feathers"
"I'm Against it"
Music and Lyrics By: Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby
Song Lyrics: [Groucho] I don't know what they have to say, It makes no difference anyway, Whatever it is, I'm against it. No matter what it is or who commenced it, I'm against it.
Your proposition may be good, But let's have one thing understood, Whatever it is, I'm against it. And even when you've changed it or condensed it, I'm against it.
I'm opposed to it, On general principle, I'm opposed to it.
[chorus] He's opposed to it. In fact, indeed, that he's opposed to it!
[Groucho] For months before my son was born, I used to yell from night to morn, Whatever it is, I'm against it. And I've kept yelling since I first commenced it, I'm against it!
All of us people in PA who are bitterly clinging to our guns and bibles can do without your support for our team, Obama. I wonder how many tickets the Steelers will sell after you bankrupt the coal industry, as you have promised to do.
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Voice of Reason
2:42PM Jan 31st 2009
hater...grow some love
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Voice of Reason
2:43PM Jan 31st 2009
i think he won that state...speak for yourself...your neighbors chose change....
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JLD
5:25PM Jan 31st 2009
Voice of Reason,
Obama stereotypes a whole state full of people as "bitter people who cling to their guns and bibles," and I'm the hater?
You keep on being the Voice of Reason---for the criminally insane.
As for my neighbors choosing Obama, they didn't. My county went for McCain, as did most of the counties in PA. It was the heavily populated cities that gave the state to Obama. I wonder why?