Obama on Health Care: 'Open to New Ideas'

In an interview with ABC's Robin Roberts, President Obama says he will not sign any health care reform bill that adds $1 to the national deficit.

Obama on Health Care: 'Open to New Ideas'


Meanwhile, R.E.M. says millions of Americans can't wait around while Washington politicians play games with health care reform.

R.E.M. Rallies For Health Care Reform

Obama's Gutter Ball And Other Weekend Musings

While attending a friend's birthday party Saturday night at a bowling alley, I was reminded of President Obama's ill-advised attempt at humor when describing his shaky bowling skills. We've all either seen or heard President Obama's remark about the Special Olympics by now.

While I will be the first to say that the reaction has been over-the-top and that it, unfortunately, overshadowed so many other more important remarks he made during his appearance on the The Tonight Show with Jay Leno , President Obama has to remember that he is no longer "just one of the guys."

You and I could make that joke and not be criticized, but not the President.

I frankly love the fact that we have a president who's down, but that doesn't mean we still shouldn't hold him to a higher standard.

Here are some other random musings from over the weekend:

*My recent posts about the UK Basketball coaching situation have reminded me of one of life's little facts: people believe what they want to believe.

If you want something to be true, you will accept anyone's thoughts pointing towards that hopeful truth. On the contrary, if you don't want something to be true, you will discount anything anyone says towards that fearful truth, regardless of how much credible information that person may have.

*Speaking of the drama swirling around Kentucky's basketball program, the Lexington Herald-Leaders's Jerry Tipton presented some great counter-points to the shallow arguments some fans have presented in favor of keeping Billy Gillispie on the job for another year.

Here's my favorite excerpt: Those who support him could say two years is too soon to judge a coach. UK would look panicky and overly obsessive about basketball. These are the seeds of a public-relations problem. Plus, to fire Gillispie now would mean admitting the mistake of hiring Gillispie two years ago.

As a counterpoint, the decision is not based on victories or defeats. A single coach whose lifestyle can be grist for the rumor mill is the wrong fit for a button-down program such as Kentucky. Like it or not, the coach represents not only UK but the entire state. Gillispie wants only to recruit and coach. There are plenty of jobs where that's sufficient. Kentucky isn't one of them.

Amen, Jerry. Amen!

*Last week, I wrote about the SEC's decline in quality basketball teams, and less than a week later, all three of the conference's NCAA Tournament representatives have been eliminated. Not one team from the country's most athletically-skilled conference could make it to the Sweet 16. So maybe this year's poor result speaks more to the SEC's decline in quality coaching.

But at least three SEC reps made it to the NIT Sweet 16, right?

*I received an e-mail earlier this week with information regarding picking up my credential for the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic. The Final Four of Major League Baseball's version of the World Cup is being held at Dodger Stadium.

The e-mail got be to thinking about MLB's plan to grow baseball internationally, "Does anyone really care?"

You tell me.

*Imagine being 36 years old in great physical shape, but yet needing open heart surgery. That's exactly what 11-year MLB veteran Aaron Boone is facing. Thursday, Boone will undergo a procedure to repair a problem with his aorta and aortic valve.

Just another reminder that life is fragile. We all should live our lives seeking to enjoy our limited time here on Earth. Life is way too short to be bogged down with petty arguments and meaningless gossip. Get out and enjoy life for what it truly is: Beautiful.

Good luck, Aaron.

Let Them Eat Cake.. Just Not MY Cake!

I got suckered into a fascinating exchange today on Facebook when one of my friends posted the following status: "who informed this moron President that $250K a year is wealthy... idiot."

Normally, I try to stay away from such nonsense, but since I know this friend personally--or at least I used to--I just had to respond.

My contention with that particular statement was that the poster lacked some perspective. Thus, I posted the following: "$250k is more than 6 times the average U.S. income.. you try to tell someone making less than $40k a year that people earning $250k aren't rich.. and they would probably call you a moron or idiot.."

I see this all the time in sports. People making uninformed statements which show an utter lack of perspective. Not sure why so many of us feel as if we know more about a particular subject than those who get paid to know about that particular subject.

Compared to the average fan, I have a more informed knowledge of the teams and sports I cover because I get paid to. I talk to the players, coaches and executives to obtain the information I need to give the viewers an accurate depiction of what they have seen or are about to see.

However, I would never suggest I know more about basketball than Phil Jackson, more about football than Pete Carroll or more about baseball than Joe Torre. It's their job to know more than me. And they get paid handsomely for it.

So with that same mindset, how can someone who's never worked in economics or even studied the subject think they know more about it than someone who has? I know, I don't get it either, but check out some of these responses.

"Is income the new form of prejudice in our country? Punish success? That's great! I will tell my children to dream BIG but please don't dream bigger than $250 or your government will vilify you! What happens when everyone stops at $250? Who will pay the way then?"

"It's like people are being punished for working hard and being successful!! and who the heck is Obama to just pick a number and decide that it's rich or poor?? I don't know if I can take 4 years of this idiot ruining our country. And don't even get me started on universal health care.....God help us."

I have always felt people are entitled to their opinion, I just like for those opinions to be informed opinions. Your opinions are only as strong as your arguments. If you don't have any facts to support your arguments, your opinions will be fairly hollow.

I am not trying to say I am any expert on economics--far from it actually. However, I have done my share of research. Couple that acquired knowledge with my own personal experiences with money and you get the following response:

"..their has always been a price to pay for success.. in our economy, there is only so much money.. so in order for you to make more.. someone else has to make less.. just like eating a cake.. if you are eating more of that cake than other people.. shouldn't you be expected to pay for more of the ingredients for the making of the next cake? I, for one, like cake.. and I don't mind paying more for a bigger piece!"

I realize this argument could go on forever with neither side relenting, but I think this entire situation was summed up best by the following Facebook post:

"Basically its safe to say that Americans, and i use that loosely, want their cake and eat it too. They want all of the benefits of highly taxed countries ( like the ones in the EU) for things like socialized health care, paid education, etc, without having to actually pay for it. If someone could figure out how to do that, they'd be a VERRRRRRY smart person."

And a very rich one, at that!

Third Day In DC: The Moment

Do you know what's really scary? Going to a place where you know there will be more than one million people and finding out that about half of them arrived 4 hours before you planned to.

That was the scene I awoke to on Tuesday morning. A 6am wake up call and a quick turn to CNN revealed that several hundred thousand people were already celebrating on the National Mall. Granted all of these people did not possess a coveted Inauguration ticket as I did, but their presence in such mass did put an uneasy feeling in my gut.

Would getting to the Capitol grounds be an even bigger ordeal than I anticipated? No time to ponder. We better get going.

On the back of all the official Inauguration tickets, specific instructions told you exactly where to go and advised you on how to get there. Yellow ticket holders were informed to take the Metro and exit at Union Station. The security gate would only be a few blocks away.

Upon exiting the hotel, you could immediately feel an intensified sense of excitement. People were moving in all directions. Military personnel were posted on just about every corner helping with road closures, crowd controls and instructions. And this was all happening at 6:30am.

Amazingly enough, getting on and off the Metro was a breeze. The ride got more and more crowded as we got closer and closer to Union Station, but it was never a mad rush of people getting on or off the train.

It was hard not to crack a smile as we made our way from Union Station through Columbus Circle. With one of the most anticipated moments of my life just hours away, walking there seemed surreal and exhilarating. It was really about to happen, and I was really going to be there.

However, that feeling of euphoria quickly took a back seat once I saw the longest line of people I had ever seen in my life. These people couldn't possibly be waiting to get into the yellow section, could they? A short walk towards the front of that line quickly affirmed my fears. Yes, they were ALL in line for the yellow section.

Now the quest becomes finding the end of that line. A quest that took much longer than any person could ever expect. Feet became yards and then hundreds, if not thousands. The line was so long that it stretched all the way back beyond the gate for the purple ticket holders.



At this point, fear is really starting to build. Could all of these people really get through security in time for the ceremony? If this many people were already in line, how far away would we be from the podium? Would we even be able to see the actual swearing-in?

It was at this point, that I reminded myself that no matter my vantage point, I would still be a witness to history. Less than 48 hours ago, I was fully prepared to be anywhere on the National Mall, even if it meant being beyond eyesight of the ceremony. And I was excited about that possibility. So how could I now be so scared of not seeing anything with my own eyes, even if I did have a ticket?

Once I checked myself, I started to appreciate the entire experience for exactly what it was. An experience.

And you know what else happened shortly after my self-reminder? The line started to move! We crept at times and strolled at others. But either way, we were moving. Just as we learned throughout Barack Obama's campaign, progress moves at different speeds. But as long as you are moving, you are always making progress.

Once we finally arrived at the security gate, getting through the metal detectors was really fast. Not only was there a countless number of them, but people were actually ready and prepared to go through them with cameras and keys already in hand to place in the plastic bins. Too bad it never runs that smoothly at airports!

Now the goal was to find the perfect vantage point. I wanted to be able to see the swearing-in ceremony with my own eyes, but also be near one of the jumbotrons so I could see what everyone else was seeing on television. Luckily, we found that position within seconds of walking into our section. The only thing left to do was to wait for the ceremony to begin. A 2-hour wait!

We all knew the temperatures were expected to be below freezing, and everyone seemed prepared for it. From winter coats and scarfs to gloves and earmuffs, people were dressed for the season and the occasion.



But no matter how bundled up you were, standing still in the same spot for hours gave you the most accurate measure of the cold. By far the worst part of the day was simply standing. Not so much because it was tiring, but rather because it was the coldest you felt all day.

With so much time to kill, it gave me the opportunity to fully soak in my surroundings. And you know what I noticed most? People.. Everywhere!



Having covered so many sporting events in my career, I've been around large crowds countless times. But nothing matched the never-ending sea of humanity standing before me on the National Mall. Looking back towards the Washington Monument and not being able to see past the people was truly amazing. It was as if I was looking at every single person in America.

Knowing I would never have such an opportunity again in my lifetime, I smiled at America. And America smiled right back at me!

That feeling of pleasantness permeated the entire day. Even at USC and UCLA football games where upwards of 100,000 people are in attendance, there's always someone rooting for the other team. But not today. This was a completely pro-America crowd. Sure, some people may have been more excited to see President Bush leave office than President-elect Obama take office, but either way, they were elated about the future of America. And so was I.

Once the ceremony began with various musical selections and the arrivals of VIPs and dignitaries, you could feel the excitement start to build. One of the most anticipated moments in U.S. history was quickly approaching, and the people were at a fever pitch.

The first glimpse of the Obama's resulted in a loud roar from the masses. So loud you could feel it.

The shot of the new First Family of the United States reminded me of their appearance at Chicago's Grant Park following the election. It was a joy to see a black First Family. Not simply because of my African-American upbringing, but because it was even possible in a country built on the backs of slaves.

Shortly after the crowd got its first sight of President Bush, one section started to sing, in unison, "Nah, nah, nah, nah.. hey, hey, hey.. Goodbye!" More and more people joined the harmony, increasing the volume exponentially.

I wondered if the song could be heard on the Inauguration platform. If so, what in the world do you think President Bush was thinking? I actually hoped he didn't hear it. His presidency will be regarded by most as an embarrassment. I didn't think he needed any more humiliation.

After some opening remarks by Senator Diane Feinstein, the invocation by Dr. Rick Warren, and a rendition of "America Tis of Thee" by Aretha Franklin, it was time for Vice President-elect Joe Biden to be sworn in.

He seemed so proud of the moment. I was truly happy for him--mostly because his 91-year old mother was there to witness it. Having lost my father when I was 24, I often wish he were alive to see some of the things I have accomplished--none of which I could have done without him and his support. I'm sure Vice President Biden has similar feelings about his mother.

Next on the program was a performance of a John Williams arrangement by Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Gabriela Montero and Anthony McGill. I have never been a fan of classical music, but this song and its performance were truly beautiful. The moment and the venue definitely added to the appeal.

I did wonder, however, how they could play so well in such freezing temperatures. A musician's fingers are their most gifted instruments. Mine were numb, and I was wearing gloves.

(Editor's note: Later, of course, we all found out that the performance we heard was not the performance we saw. The song had been recorded a few days before and played back on tape. Unlike some, the lack of an authentic performance did not matter to me. The selection was perfect for the moment, whether it was live or not.)

Now, it was time for the moment. The moment so many had anticipated for so long. The moment so many others believed would never happen, at least not in their lifetime. President-elect Barack Obama was about to become President Barack H. Obama.

A loud cheer erupted as he rose from his seat and approached the podium with Michelle, Malia and Sasha. It was really happening.

But just as quickly as the cheer broke out, it dissipated. As excited as everyone was, we all wanted to hear the words as Obama became only the 44th person to take the oath of office as President of the United States.

The sight of him standing there in front of the U.S. Capitol with his left hand on Abraham Lincoln's bible and his right hand in the air was truly majestic.



The only thing to take away from this moment was Chief Justice John Roberts' fumbling of the words. It was obvious Obama recognized his mistake and wanted to give him an opportunity to correct it. I felt sorry for them both. Every President wants his oath to go perfectly, and no Chief Justice wants to mess it up.

The good news was it did not prevent the inevitable. Obama had already become President three minutes prior to taking the oath of the office. The Constitution says the President starts his term at the strike of noon, whether he had taken the oath or not.

I had kept my emotions in check throughout the ceremony. While others cried around me, some uncontrollably, I never as much got misty-eyed. Not because I didn't fully understand or appreciate the magnitude of the moment, I just don't usually display my emotions in the form of tears, especially when I am happy. I am way more apt to shout than weep at such occasions.

When Obama completed the 35-word oath by saying, "So help me, God", my emotions came bursting out. I threw my arms in the air and shouted at the top of my lungs, "YES!!"

Our nation was positively living out the true meaning of its creed. The same creed that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had recited on the steps of the nearby Lincoln Memorial some 46 years ago: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

Raised at times by a single mother and having a mixed racial background, Barack Obama had still become the President of the United States. To most, such a feat seemed impossible. But today, we all learned that nothing is impossible in America. While, we all can't be president, we can all be the best we can be at whatever endeavor we choose.

We can all achieve greatness. We all can make a difference. We can all affect change.

And it took all of the above for this moment to take place. It took a nation to believe that its people could correct what was wrong. And this moment was the celebration of that triumph.

It had happened. It had really and truly happened.

And I was there to witness it.

Second Day In DC: Karma Reigns Supreme

I am a firm believer in karma. Whether it's the golden rule of treating others the way you would have them treat you, or the thought that all positive energy you exude returns to you, I think that stuff works. And having traveled to DC without official tickets for the Inauguration, I was holding out hope that karma made its way into my travel bag.

I had already been on a pretty good roll after lucking into a hotel just 2 miles from the National Mall one week before I was to leave. That roll seemed to still be intact after arriving in DC as well. How else do you explain crashing the HBO party? But how long could it last? And more importantly, would it eventually lead to a coveted inauguration ticket?

After writing countless senators and congressmen without any success, I was still determined to be one of the 240,000 people fortunate enough to receive an actual ticket for the Inauguration. Even if I had to stand, I just wanted to be as close as possible to the swearing-in.

A few days before leaving LA, a friend of mine, who had been involved in Barack Obama's campaign in the very beginning, told me to e-mail a guy who might have access to some tickets. I was also given strict orders not to divulge the name of my friend. Not the best way to make contact with a complete stranger in an attempt to ask for a monumental request, but I had nothing to lose.

The first response, albeit almost immediate, did not give me much hope. It was extremely last-minute and millions of people had requested tickets since election day. But he did say to check back with him the next morning just in case some tickets became available. Although not likely, hope was still alive.

The next morning, I e-mailed my "ticket guy" as he had informed me to do. More than anything, I really wanted to thank him for even considering the request on such short notice. This time, however, I did not get an immediate response. In fact, I didn't think I would receive a response at all as a couple of hours turned into several. But right before going to bed Saturday night in preparation for my early flight Sunday morning, I received an e-mail from ticket guy saying that he SHOULD have some tickets for me, but to e-mail him again once I arrived in DC. Hope is just not alive, it's walking around the room with swagger.

As you might imagine, my first order of business after checking into the hotel was to fire up my laptop and shoot off a quick e-mail to ticket guy. But again, no response. Was my karma running on fumes? Had hope been replaced at the last minute by despair? The answer would come in the morning.

Having not set an alarm and still adjusting to the time zone changes, I slept a little later than I intended. I wanted to be at that computer first thing in the morning to see if hope prevailed.

It was similar to the feeling of anticipation on Christmas morning when we were kids. The real anticipation is not whether you received something, but rather if you received what you really wanted. I was fully expecting some type of e-mail response at this point, but would it say what I wanted it to say?

I'll let you read for yourself.


Michael,

I’ve been busy at events and apologize for the delay. I will have tickets for you tomorrow. You should pick up at the convention center.


YES!! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!! I GOT TICKETS TO THE INAUGURATION!! HELL YEAH!!

Obviously, I was rather excited. It was truly special to be one of the few (relatively speaking) to receive official inauguration tickets. But getting them at the last-minute from a person I had never met in my life made it even more amazing.

Now, the trick was to hide my excitement, as I wanted to surprise Crystal with the tickets. I've always been that guy. Hold out on some great news, only to spring it on somebody at the last-minute. I'm a sucker for spontaneous responses from my friends.

I told her we were going to the convention center to meet a friend of mine. And from there, we would walk down to the mall to get a look at the scene the day before the madness. She had never been to DC, so she was more concerned about seeing the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial than she was about the pit stop at the convention center.

Trying to figure out where exactly I was supposed to pick up the tickets at the convention center was not that easy. The building is massive in scope. Plus there were no visible signs saying anything about the inauguration or tickets. But once again, this is where my buddy karma comes into play.

I spotted a guy who looked like he might know where he's going. And indeed, he did. He, too, was going to pick up tickets and told us to follow him. After finding a door guarded by a security person, our escort flashed some badge and told the guard we were with him. Score!

Although I didn't realize it at the time, the biggest obstacle in securing these tickets was finding my ticket guy in the throngs of people at the convention center. To say the place was teeming with activity would be an understatement. In addition to being the distribution hub for inauguration, parade and ball tickets, the convention center was also hosting 6 balls on inauguration evening. Let's just say it was a little hectic.

While waiting in line to see about finding my tickets, I heard the lady behind me on the phone talking about my ticket guy. She was looking for him too. Her name was Agape, the sister of Arianna Huffington. The Huffington Post was having a big party later that evening, and for a moment, I considered asking her for some tickets to the party. But I was more concerned about inauguration tickets and didn't want to use up all my remaining karma on another party.

After finally reaching a volunteer table to see if the tickets were being held under my name, I find out that they are not!

What? You mean I came all the way over here and there's no tickets for me? I couldn't believe it.

But as I was discussing this with another volunteer, I once again heard the familiar voice of Agape. She was on the phone with the ticket guy trying to locate him. When I finally spotted her, she was actually hugging the ticket guy. She now had her tickets. But where were mine?

I left the volunteer in mid-sentence as I jogged towards the ticket guy. He was just about to disappear from sight. I couldn't come this close only to lose him.

Just before he ducked behind a tall, blue curtain I shouted his name. He heard me. He stopped and turned around.

I said, "Hi, I'm Michael Eaves. From Fox Sports Net in LA. We exchanged some e-mails about inauguration tickets?"

He replied, "Oh yeah. Hold on one second."

He disappears behind the curtain only to reappear a few seconds later. Not only does my ticket guy have two tickets on the Capitol grounds for me, but he also has two parade tickets. My karma didn't just come through. It doubled up!

I wanted to hug ticket guy, but instead I gave him a very affectionate handshake and told him to contact me if I can ever return the favor. Not fully certain that I could ever match such a hookup, but I would definitely be determined to try.

When I made it back to the volunteer table, Crystal was sitting there waiting for me. I'm not really sure if she had figured everything out at this point. Did she think I really had tickets or was I trying to talk my way into some? But once, she saw the envelope in my hand, I could sense her excitement, although she was obviously trying to hold it together. But that could only last so long.

Once we exited the doors, and I showed her those beautiful inauguration tickets, we proceeded to sing, "We going to the Inauguration! We going to the Inauguration!" as we made our way out of the convention center.

I'm sure the song was off key and our harmony was horrible, but it was music to our ears!

Obama To Get Tough On BCS

Anyone watch President-Elect Barack Obama on "60 Minutes" last night? Most of you probably did, since his appearance gave the CBS News weekly magazine program its highest rating since 1999.

He talked about a myriad of topics, from the economy and financial bailouts to national security and the war in Iraq. He also niftily dodged Steve Kroft's repeated questions about any of Obama's impending administration appointees.

As usual, I found him eloquent, knowledgeable and sincere. My only regret is that he has to wait until January 20th to take office.

Besides the real meat-and-potato dialogue of the interview, there were two things I took away from the show: 1) Barack loves him some Michelle and 2) the BCS might want to get started on a playoff system.

During one of his very last public appearances prior to Election Night, Obama told Chris Berman during halftime of Monday Night Football that the one thing he would change about sports is the lack of a playoff in the Football Bowl Series, formerly known as Division 1A. And just as he has stayed true to some of his other campaign promises and pledges, Obama is serious about the need for a playoff system.

In fact, he already seems to have a plan for it: 8 teams, winner take all!

"It would add three extra weeks to the season," said Obama. "You could trim back on the regular season. I don't know any serious fan of college football who has disagreed with me on this. So, I'm going to throw my weight around a little bit. I think it's the right thing to do."

There's no question it's the right thing to do. It's been the right thing to do for decades, but the individual institutions of the BCS conferences are just too greedy to make it happen. They want to hoard all the big money and not allow all 119 FBS schools to get a cut.

The one question I have always wondered but never had answered is this: If the NCAA can prevent schools from playing in a bowl game, why can't the NCAA dictate how the champion is determined? It does so in every other sport, including the other three levels of NCAA football.

The BCS issued a reactionary statement today, and as expected, the top brass wasn't exactly open to the idea.

"First of all I want to congratulate newly elected President Obama and I am glad he has a passion for college football like so many other Americans," said BCS Coordinator John Swofford. "For now, our constituencies -- and I know he understands constituencies -- have settled on the current BCS system, which the majority believe is the best system yet to determine a national champion while also maintaining the college football regular season as the best and most meaningful in sports."

Swofford added: "We certainly respect the opinions of president-elect Obama and welcome dialogue on what's best for college football."

I think what's best for college football is to consider your players, alumni and fans as your "constituencies" and not the school presidents and athletic directors.

I have tremendous confidence that President Obama can right this terrible wrong. I mean, if he can take on the RNC and win, the BCS should be a pushover!

Witnessing History--The Sequel

Some of you may remember my post "Tyson Chandler: Witnessing History," where I told you about a meeting between the NBA rising star and Senator Barack Obama on the campaign trail. Chandler had written how the experience gave him a different perspective on politics, in general, and society, as a whole.

Shortly after Senator Obama became President-Elect Obama, Chandler added another post to his blog about watching the election night coverage with his wife.

One passage in particular from Chandler's blog post stood out to me. In reference to a story about one of his assistant coaches growing up in the South and remembering the "white only" water fountains and having to enter stores and restaurants through the back door, Chandler wrote, "A lot of times we lose touch of the opportunity that we have. It makes you respect it a lot more when you hear something like that, or you get a chance to hear Bill Russell speak about playing back then. You say, 'Man, I've got the opportunity to do what I love night in and night out, and there were people before me who fought and died for this.'"

Normally Reserved Tiger Talks Obama

If you know anything about Tiger Woods, you likely know how tight-lipped he can be regarding just about any topic, including golf at times. And when it comes to social issues or politics, you usually have a better chance of outdriving him than hearing Tiger give his thoughts or opinions.

However, as he is progressing through his early 30's, maybe Tiger is ready to be more open about his feelings towards politics. Check out the story below from The Golf Channel, where golf's number one player talks about America's new number one citizen and its number one issue.

Tiger Woods, who is normally reserved when it comes to any topic not related to golf, weighed in on Barack Obama's election as the first African American president in United States history.

"I think it's absolutely incredible," Woods told CNBC. "He represents America. He's multiracial. I was hoping it would happen in my lifetime. My father was hoping it would happen in his lifetime, but he didn't get to see it. I'm lucky enough to have seen a person of color in the White House."

Obama was elected last Tuesday as the 44th President of the United States. When asked by the cable news outlet how his father Earl would have reacted, Woods said: "He would have cried. Absolutely. No doubt about it."

Woods, who has been sidelined since winning the U.S. Open in June due to season-ending knee surgery to repair a torn ACL, also spoke out on the state of the country's economy and how it might affect the PGA Tour.

"I don't know if some of the tournaments, if they're going to go away or have new sponsors come in," Woods told CNBC.Woods is still uncertain as to when he will return to competition. He hopes to begin hitting full shots at the beginning of 2009 and be back no later than the Masters Tournament in April.

Obama's Election Day Pickup Game

One of the reasons Barack Obama became an early favorite of mine is because he is one of the few modern-day politicians I know that plays basketball. Several play golf, albeit poorly, while others run or play racquetball. But the overwhelming majority of today's politicians aren't exactly what anyone would call athletic.

In keeping with his Election Day routine, President-elect Obama put together a pickup game with some of his closest friends after he finished campaigning. CNN was given exclusive, behind-the-scenes access and recently shared some of that video.




As far as President-elect Obama's skills are concerned, for a politician, he's actually not bad. I have played with much worse on the pickup courts through the years. Plus, I give him extra credit for that smooth behind-the-back dribble. If you are going to get this country back where it needs to be, Obama will need to be able to go both Left and Right.

Now, I just need to find out where I can score one of those "That One" jerseys!

Still Trying To Figure It All Out

Several of you have been asking me if I plan to write a post regarding the election of Barack Obama as our next president. The simple answer is yes, however I do not know exactly when that will be.

So, as I try to get my head around this momentous occasion and come up with the appropriate words to express my feelings, allow the words of Langston Hughes to fill the void until I return.

I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.

They send me to eat in the kitchen

When company comes,

But I laugh,

And eat well,

And grow strong.

Tomorrow,

I'll be at the table

When company comes.

Nobody'll dare

Say to me,

"Eat in the kitchen,"

Then.

Besides,

They'll see how beautiful I am

And be ashamed--

I, too, am America.

-Langston Hughes

LeBron James And Jay-Z To Host Rally For Obama

As I noted in an earlier post, today's high-profile professional athletes seem to stay away from political and social causes out of fear of losing endorsements. But this recent AP story reveals that LeBron James does not hold such reservations.

Oct 23rd, 2008 CLEVELAND -- NBA superstar LeBron James and Grammy-winning recording artist Jay-Z want people to get out early to vote for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.

James and Jay-Z will host a rally Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland which will include a free concert by the hip-hop star.

James attended a Cleveland rally earlier this month to encourage people to vote for Obama. He's also contributed $20,000 to a committee supporting the presidential nominee.

UPDATE: I recently came across an article in the Washington Post talking about this very subject. Check it out: Jock The Vote: NBA Players Raise Their Voices

Obama Takes Heat For Possible Delay Of World Series Game

Check out this story from CNN about how Barack Obama's 30-minute infomercial to the nation might push back the start of a World Series game.

(CNN) – The Republican National Committee took aim at Barack Obama Wednesday over the Illinois senator's half-hour ad buy that will delay the start of a World Series game by 18 minutes.

"It’s unfortunate that the World Series’ first pitch is being delayed for Obama’s political pitch," RNC spokesman Alex Conant said. "Not only is Obama putting politics before principle, he’s putting it before our national pastime.”

Major League Baseball has agreed to a request from Fox to delay the start time of Game 6 of the World Series (if a Game 6 is necessary) so the network can air the 30-minute Obama spot, a Fox spokesman confirms to CNN. The Illinois senator has also bought similar time on CBS and NBC, set to begin at 8 p.m.

“FOX will accommodate Senator Obama's desire to communicate with voters in this…format," Fox spokesman Scott Gorgin said. "We are pleased that Major League Baseball has agreed to delay the first pitch of World Series Game 6 for a few minutes in order for FOX to carry his program on October 29."

It's the first time a presidential candidate has bought that length of airtime on network television since Ross Perot purchased several 30 minute blocs in 1992.

"This is a big platform, this is a big megaphone, the interest level is clearly there and people will watch," Evan Tracey of Campaign Media Analysis Group, CNN's consultant on campaign advertising said.

The October 29 game will now start at 8:38 instead of 8:20.

Obama Takes Heat For Possible Delay Of World Series Game

Obama Is In The Game

From the time he first entered the race for the presidency, Barack Obama and his campaign managers have recognized the importance of new media. And that recognition has played a major part in Obama being in position to be elected to office.

Beyond just a website, Obama's campaign has been using popular social networking sites such as youtube, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter to build a broad base of support. And nowhere has this effort shown more results than with young voters.

However, the Obama campaign is not stopping there. Check out this story about Obama becoming the first presidential candidate to buy advertising inside a video game!

Obama and his campaign staff are quickly redefining modern political strategy.

By Devlin Barrett
updated 1:55 p.m. PT, Tues., Oct. 14, 2008

WASHINGTON - Too busy playing video games to watch presidential ads on television? Barack Obama has found you, too, by becoming the first presidential candidate to buy ad space inside a game.

Nine video games from Electronic Arts Inc., ranging from the extremely popular "Madden 09" football game to the street racing "Burnout: Paradise," feature in-game ads from the Obama campaign. The ads — they appear on billboards and other signage — remind players that early voting has begun and plug a campaign Web site.

The idea of embedding advertising temporarily inside a video game is relatively new, having only begun about 18 months ago, and Obama is the first presidential candidate to buy space, company officials said.

Ads For Obama Campaign: It's In The Game

Tyson Chandler: Witnessing History

There was a time in our history that professional athletes were some of the most involved citizens in the current issues of the day. They used their name and their stature to call their fans' attention to topics that might not otherwise be familiar.

Today, however, it seems professional athletes try to stay as far away from social activism and politics as they can. Following in the footsteps of Michael Jordan who once said, "Republicans buy Nike too," modern day athletes are more concerned about gaining/losing commercial endorsements than they are about bringing change to their communities.

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't think ALL professional athletes should be involved in social issues. Quite frankly, not all of them are informed enough to add anything to the discussion. Some, in fact, might do more harm than good. Yet another similarity they share with everyday citizens, I might add.

However, it is refreshing when professional athletes--especially younger ones--take the initiative to get involved or, at the very least, expand their perspectives.

New Orleans Hornets forward Tyson Chandler recently attended a Barack Obama rally in Indiana. He wrote about the experience on his nba.com blog. Here's an excerpt:

He's just one of those dudes who comes off so poised, calm and just touchable. I've never felt like a Presidential candidate was touchable, that you could actually sit down and have a conversation with him. But with Obama, I feel like I'm in touch with him, like I understand what he's talking about.

I've watched debates in the past, and I never knew what was going on. I never realized what the President was talking about. But Obama breaks it down so that I can understand, my grandparents can understand, anybody can. He bridges the gaps and brings everybody together.

I was sitting at the rally yesterday and I saw this older black gentleman with a camcorder. He had grey hair and he was recording it. I was just watching him and he looked so proud. It looked like he was gonna record it and go back, show his grandchildren and say "I was here on this day."

And next to him were some older white ladies, who when Obama was making his speech, were jumping up, screaming and raising their hands. So, I was thinking, "Wow, look at that." You had different nationalities there, different ages and different genders, and everybody was there for the same cause. We haven't seen this in a long time. And it was just a great thing to be a part of.

Obama Directly Addresses America In Two-Minute Ad: Plan for Change

Visit BarackObama.com/plan to read Obama's plan for the economy now.

Don't Play Me Like I'm Stupid

I don't care if we are talking sports or politics, one thing I absolutely hate is for someone to insult my intelligence by lying dead to my face. It's somewhat of a common practice in sports.

We, in the media, call it coach-speak. Coaches will say certain things they know may not be completely true in order to keep their team focused on the task at hand or so they won't tip their hand before a game is played. Oftentimes, it's blatant, but always harmless in the grand scheme of things.

However, in the world of politics, insulting society's intelligence isn't just commonplace, it's the norm, and as we have seen with Iraq, it can be gravely dangerous.

Politicians have made a career out of saying whatever is necessary to get re-elected, and voters have been falling for such tactics for centuries.

But to quote an old, wise sage from the 90's, "Homey don't play that!"

I know in some parts of our country--especially the part where I live now--it's acceptable to openly lie to any and everyone about any and everything. But I grew up in the South, and down there you can't just knowingly lie to people and expect them to take you at your word. As we Southerners like to say, "Don't piss on my head and tell me it's raining!"

I raise this point, because I'm starting to get a little upset at the current presidential campaign, particularly the Republican party. I've already touched on the hypocrisy of the McCain campaign.

Check out this latest example:



So, being a mayor or governor for only a short time disqualifies you from the presidency, but it doesn't disqualify you from being one heartbeat away from it? Whew, I feel so much better now.

But beyond the hypocrisy, it's the outright, blatant lies that are originating from McCain supporters, and oftentimes his campaign itself.

New York Times Columnist Paul Krugman writes, "Did you hear about how Barack Obama wants to have sex education in kindergarten, and called Sarah Palin a pig? Did you hear about how Ms. Palin told Congress, "Thanks, but no thanks" when it wanted to buy Alaska a Bridge to Nowhere. These stories have two things in common: they’re all claims recently made by the McCain campaign — and they’re all out-and-out lies."

Charles Babbington from the Associated Press says, "The "Straight Talk Express" has detoured into doublespeak."

And James Rainey writes in the Los Angeles Times, "News organizations and these admirable truth-squadding outfits, including PolitiFact.com, do not collaborate. But in independent news reports and commentaries this week, they seemed to reach a consensus to say ‘enough’ to the McCain camp's efforts to demonize Barack Obama."

Enough already. I'm beyond fed up with these low-rate political tactics. Don't disguise your lack of solid viewpoints and arguments on the issues that affect us the most with lies and smears of the opposition.

Don't play me like I'm stupid. Don't play the American voters like they are stupid. This election is too damned important to be playing games!

Tax Plans: Obaba vs. McCain

There seems to be quite a bit of confusion about the differences in the proposed tax plans of Barack Obama of John McCain. A recent article in The Washington Post broke down the numbers according to annual salaries.

I will be honest and tell you that my tax burden will go up under Obama's plan. However, losing a few additional thousand dollars a year will not hurt me financially. I am much more concerned about the larger population of tax payers. Plus, if the economy grows under Obama has it has historically done under Democratic presidents, I will recoup that money down the road. (see earlier post)

So, check out the numbers below and decide for yourself which plan makes the most sense for not only you, but for the country.

Obama and McCain Tax Proposals
According to a new analysis by the Tax Policy Center, a joint project of the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution, Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain are both proposing tax plans that would result in cuts for most American families. Obama's plan gives the biggest cuts to those who make the least, while McCain would give the largest cuts to the very wealthy. For the approximately 147,000 families that make up the top 0.1 percent of the income scale, the difference between the two plans is stark. While McCain offers a $269,364 tax cut, Obama would raise their taxes, on average, by $701,885 - a difference of nearly $1 million.

(Courtesy: The Washington Post)

Is History Siding With Obama’s Economic Plan?

A friend sent me this New York Times article, which examined the effect Democratic and Republican presidents have had on the national economy.

The article includes some really pertinent information, especially as it relates to the upcoming election.

"Simply put, the United States economy has grown faster, on average, under Democratic presidents than under Republicans.

The stark contrast between the whiz-bang Clinton years and the dreary Bush years is familiar because it is so recent. But while it is extreme, it is not atypical. Data for the whole period from 1948 to 2007, during which Republicans occupied the White House for 34 years and Democrats for 26, show average annual growth of real gross national product of 1.64 percent per capita under Republican presidents versus 2.78 percent under Democrats.

That 1.14-point difference, if maintained for eight years, would yield 9.33 percent more income per person, which is a lot more than almost anyone can expect from a tax cut."

So regardless of your views on the upcoming presidential election or your opinions on the differences between Barack Obama and John McCain's respective economic plans, the article definitely makes for an interesting read.

Is History Siding With Obama’s Economic Plan?

Republican Inaccuracies And Hypocrisy Show No Bounds

I realize that in this day and age of modern American politics, one side is going to constantly attack the other side on the issues-- both real and unreal. So, as much as I hate such tactics, I get it.

However, the only thing I would ask for--and I assume the majority of Americans would hope for as well--is that the attacks are factual in nature and they are not hypocritical. The speeches and some of the commentary we heard Wednesday night at the Republican National Convention did not live up to those requests.

In the words of Associated Press journalist, Jim Kuhnnenn, Sarah Palin and her Republican supporters "stretched the truth" in their reproach of Barack Obama and their praise of one another.

As far as the hypocrisy is concerned, I think I'll just turn it over to The Daily Show's Jon Stewart.




Again, I understand the relentless attacking of the other side, but those attacks, even if aimed towards my favored party, would carry much more weight with me if they were accurate and fair.

I'm beginning to think, unfortunately, that such a request is far too much to ask in today's political forum, especially from conservatives.

UPDATE: Speaking of hypocrisy!

Georgia Republican Congressman Westmoreland Calls Barack And Michelle Obama "Uppity"

Damn! Really?

Hell, why didn't he just add nigger to it? I mean, no one's ever been called an "uppity cracker."

It's funny how no one wants race to be a factor in this election, but the Republicans keep referring to it and always in a negative manner.

By Mike Soraghan
thehill.com

Georgia Republican Rep. Lynn Westmoreland used the racially-tinged term "uppity" to describe Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama Thursday.

Westmoreland was discussing vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's speech with reporters outside the House chamber and was asked to compare her with Michelle Obama.

"Just from what little I’ve seen of her and Mr. Obama, Sen. Obama, they're a member of an elitist-class individual that thinks that they're uppity," Westmoreland said.

Asked to clarify that he used the word “uppity,” Westmoreland said, “Uppity, yeah.”

Other Democrats have charged that the Republican campaign to paint the Illinois senator as an “elitist” is racially charged, and accused them of using code words for “uppity” without using the word itself.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/westmoreland-calls-obama-uppity-2008-09-04.html