Obama burns Magic

If the video won't play above, you can click the link below to open it in YouTube in your browser:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHrZd7JxvPQ

The day before President Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, announced a three year freeze in federal discretionary spending, he spent the afternoon welcoming the 2009 Los Angeles Lakers to the White House. Following tradition, that has transformed into ritual over the past 20 years, the Lakers traveled to the nation's capital to receive the President's congratulations via a short press conference and photo op (you can view the press conference in it's entirety above). The entire team made the trip including the Zen-Master Phil Jackon, Kobe Bryant, Pao Gasol and even Magic Johnson (Minority owner and "Team Vice President").

Obama, an avid Chicago Bulls fan and proud Chicagoan in general, congratulated the team, and specifically congratulated Phil Jackson on winning his tenth NBA title. The President went further saying,

"I do want to point out that six of [the championships] came with the Bulls.

(turns and looks at the team behind him)...

You Remember that Magic...90-91...

Remember when Jordan went up (gestures with hands)!"

Obama jabs Magic at 2:47 in the video

This is, by far, the best moment in Obama's tenure as President. All politics asdie, except perhaps those sporting in nature, I love that the President is a socially accessible person. He loves his hometown team no matter what his job is and who he works for. And he's not afraid to say it; even if its in front of millions of constituents. Obama's impromptu grilling of Magic about MJ and the Bulls rolling the Lakers in the Finals almost 20 years ago is a great example of why Obama is so well liked: He has personality. He speaks proudly of his team, even during the dreadful Joakim Noah and Ben Gordon-less era. Even though he's president, you feel like you could approach him at a bar and strike up your typical guy small talk in the universal language of Men - Sports (Yes, both Men and Sports have, and deserve capitalization).

So, my hat's off to you Mr. Obama. During these trying times of economic dispair, war and jobless-ness, you keep it light with your likable personality. After all, anyone who had a pulse in the 90's enjoys a good MJ story. Too bad China doesn't like basketball; wait a second...