 "Photo: Leonardo Alannis | Valley Star")
It usually takes years for the media to sculpt an image of the president that burns itself in the general public's perception. We have Bill Clinton, the saxophone-playing Oval Office Casanova who didn't inhale, even once. Then there's "Dubya," the Harvard and Yale alumni whose jet fighter jumpsuit matches the dunce cap and perma-grin perfectly. But for a second, forget the "Change we can believe in," or the whole healthcare thing, President Barack Obama is not only the leader of the free world; he is the new president of sports.
We've seen presidents throughout history in athletic wear for the occasional photo-op. Remember Clinton jogged, once, and while Bush said that his love for bicycling was strong, the brand new bike with the price tag on it said otherwise. Fortunately we have a president that not only is a legitimate sports fan, but name checks the White Sox and derides the Cubs whenever possible.
How many presidents have been in pick-up games at Chapel Hill or not maligned for being on the wrong side of a shirts and skins game? To add to his credit, he has a deadly jumper and can talk smack as well as reciting constitutional law. So what makes this president more legitimate than past presidents trying to cash in on a feel good story? Authenticity.
There's this line in The Rolling Stone's "Satisfaction" where Mick Jagger cries, "...he can't be a man because he doesn't smoke the same cigarettes as me." Obama's lifelong love of basketball, combined with his sports as life ethos, has established a connection between the president and any regular Joe who prefers ESPN, not C-SPAN.
While Obama's love for sport is real, it also serves as another weapon in his arsenal, politically. It's understandable to assume that if someone follows the president's picks for week four in the NFL, that same person is more inclined to catch an inkling of what Obama is talking about in politics. Taking advantage of this untapped crop of Joe Pigskins could be the saving grace of Obama's healthcare reform when it comes time for people to cast their vote.
With the U.S. dollar falling fast, stocks falling faster, and the general economy in the toilet, Obama has found a great alternative to help America's money problems: the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Six other U.S. cities made bids to hold the games, yet Obama personally flew to Switzerland to lobby for his home city of Chicago to host the Olympics. That's gamesmanship on both sides of the aisle as a politician and a sports fan.
As history has shown, the President of the United States battles daily to connect with citizens on every level of every stage. From throwing the first pitch, to having Michael Jordan and the Bulls come kick it at the White House, all of these fall under one category: press coverage. There's a new man in town and he's not worried where the cameras are; he's gonna shoot the J, hit the putt, and throw the first pitch – even if it's in the backyard.
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