An avid basketball fan, President Obama hosted a basketball game at the White House last week but didn't invite any women to play.
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Obama gets grief for male-only basketball games
By Jimmy Orr | 10.25.09
President Obama’s in hot water again. And it’s that same old nemesis.
No, not Rush Limbaugh. The other really round culprit. You know, the basketball. Some critics are upset because he’s not more inclusive when he participates in the sport.
It’s not the first time the president has received criticism for his interest in basketball. Or his preference for men’s basketball, that is. Last March, a columnist for USA Today roundly criticized the president for not filling out a NCAA women’s basketball bracket — like he did for their male counterparts.
No girls allowed
Now the kerfuffle is over a game the president hosted at the White House last week. Although he reached out to Members of Congress and his Cabinet to play, all of the invitees had one thing in common — they were guys.
It’s certainly understandable why the president loves the game. After all, he’s from Indonesia Chicago where the greatest player ever to play the game graced the court. And if you don’t remember that, Michael Jordan will remind you of that (and then he’ll criticize you and everyone else for, well, everything).
But, shouldn’t the president extend invites to both sexes?
Old boys club?
NBC White House correspondent Savannah Guthrie asked him that earlier this week. She asked him if his preference for all-male hoops sends the wrong signal. Or as she put it, “Some people might look at it and say, ‘Gosh, there’s the old boys club again.’”
That’s something the president dismisses.
“I gotta say, I think this is bunk,” Obama told Guthrie. “Basically, the House of Representatives has a basketball game and they had wanted to play here at the White House court and we invited them.”
“I don’t know if there are women who— were Members of Congress who play basketball on a regular basis,” Obama continued. “I don’t think there are. You know, I don’t think sends any kind of message or signal whatsoever.”
Male vs. Female
That’s where there’s plenty of disagreement. A conversation on MSNBC’s “Cup of Joe” last week might provide some insight as to how people are viewing the issue.
The host of the show, Joe Scarborough, agrees with the president. Holding his head in his hands at one point during Wednesday’s program, the former Republican congressman seemed genuinely pained that his colleague — Guthrie — spent any portion of her one-on-one with the president on the issue.
Comparing the topic to flaky “balloon boy” coverage, Scarborough told Guthrie, “Speaking for all men — that was bunk. That question was bunk. What were you thinking?”
“This is a really interesting issue,” Guthrie began.
“No, it’s not,” Scarborough interrupted.
Guthrie explained that the disagreement over the issue seemed to break down across gender lines.
“Most men I talk to say, ‘What’s the big deal? So a guy can’t play basketball?’” she said. “But many, many serious thinking women say, ‘Let’s call this for it is: This is a networking opportunity. This is a political event.”
The Round Mound of Mikulski?
No matter what Guthrie could say, Scarborough wouldn’t buy it (see video below). At one point, he sounded like the terminally politically incorrect Michael Scott from the popular TV show “The Office.”
“Come on, what are you going to do? Invite Barbara Mikulski over to play basketball with you?” he asked.
Fans of the TV show might remember when Michael was putting together an office basketball team to match up against the warehouse workers. When his rotund middle-aged colleague Phyllis asked to play, Michael — like Scarborough — scoffed.
Of course, Michael changed his mind when Phyllis then volunteered to be a cheerleader.
“Oh yuck. That’s worse than you playing,” Michael said to stunned silence. Then he backtracked and promised Phyllis a spot on the team as an alternate.
As goes Scranton, so goes the White House
No one is suggesting that Obama is a presidential version of the regional manager for Dunder-Mifflin. But, judging how his press secretary responded to a question about the game, we’re guessing that the president, like Michael, will eventually come around.
“The President obviously is someone who, as the father of two young daughters, has an avid interest in their competing against anybody on the playing field. The President has certainly played basketball and other sports with women in the past, and I anticipate he’ll do so in the future.”
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Hey, we’ll always invite you to be on our team (and Barbara Mikulski is our center). So follow us on Twitter!
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4. John Obu | 10.25.09
It is ridiculous to make an issue of this. Women have not complained of not being allowed to play in the NBA because they have WNBA. Women don’t compete in the same 100m track as men. On top of that if women are allowed to play with the President and he bumps into one of them in a physical way, next thing you know could be a “law suit” that the President had groped her. Best play it safe.
5. Decentralize | 10.25.09
Filling out an NCAA women’s basketball bracket would mean that the president would have to pay someone to actually watch an entire NCAA women’s basketball season to keep it up-to-date, something that would violate the president’s promise that this country does not torture.
6. Chip Grandits | 10.25.09
This article is a classic example of making a mountain out of a molehill. It is also an example of the media echo-chamber - most of the content and conclusions are drawn from examining media coverage and then comparing it to a situation comedy.
Let’s be serious here - The president of the United States should be a human being. When everything the president ever does has to be viewed through the lens of how it is a networking and political access opportunity; then the president can no longer have the type of human interaction that a well-adjusted human being must have. Before the era of intense media scrutiny - this was possible; apparently now it is not. If we force the president to live every moment as a political moment and not as a human - then we will have a psychologically misshapen travesty of a human holding the highest office. Literally the office will dehumanize the president.
If the journalist was interested in excelling at journalism, he would have found the name of one female member of congress who was interested in playing basketball, rather than talking about an episode of The Office (which I like by the way)
If there is a female member of congress who wishes to play b-ball with the president she should have the cojones to say - “Hey Mr. President - I’m up for some ball.” These are sitting members of congress - they couldn’t have made it that far by being intimidated and demure. Otherwise stop whining.
9. Patrick | 10.25.09
“No one is suggesting that Obama is a presidential version of the regional manager for Dunder-Mifflin. But …” that’s what I have written my entire article about.
10. John Ryan | 10.25.09
Can people never stop bothering this man for being a man or is he constantly expected to “wimp out” to everyone’s personal agenda for him. The latent racism inherent in these polemic attacks never cease to amaze me. Even the reviled George Bush didn’t have to have his most innocuous move or preference questioned in such self-seeking pettiness. Get a life people.
11. spark240 | 10.25.09
Is there one woman in Congress or the Administration who is interested in playing? ONE? Is there?
12. cynthia | 10.25.09
UH, has anyone thought of why he chose to pal play basketball with men only?
i think he has been thinking that though women are as athletic as men, the “contact” sport my be taken as being a “serious” game by him and the men who showed up to play with him. Please note the quotation marks on both the words CONTACT and SERIOUS. there have been too many “sexual allegations” going on at the white house and concerns of this issue is very apparent. if he chooses to play basketball with women, including his wife, daughters, and extended family members, it’s because he knows those ladies personally. if he invite women to play against him and some of his colleagues (political and personal) then rules should be set that there will be some great physical
“contact” that he should not be held liable. WOMEN out there for the sport,
accept his invitation and put on a REAL GAME!
13. Anti-ObamainFlorida | 10.25.09
I do not agree with Obama on much, but if the man wants to play hoops with the guys, the nation is not going suffer. Maybe he should take his game to Cuba or Venezuela where political correctnes is not a matter of concern.
14. Bruno Testaverde | 10.25.09
This is bunk! It sounds to me like someone decided to make and issue into this because the gender issue can be controversial. I guess the men out there, who are normal park and rec basketball players, should fell bad when they tell their spouses, “hunny, I’m going to shoot some hoops…be back later. Love you, bye!” Or, maybe the women should feel bad when they attend a tupperware party or a naughty underwear get together, and neglect to ask their spouses. Yeah, picture that! Some things are the way they are for a reason. Most of the time, it is just plain old tradition. Whatever the case, I don’t think that the president intentionally “froze” any women out of this pick-up game of b-ball. The question that should have been asked is; did any women ask if they could join in this game?!
15. Carol Ann | 10.25.09
What a bunch of silliness. I love to go to lunch with my lady friends. And the President probably loves to play basketball with the guys. “Political correctness” is going overboard!!! Let’s get real people. It’s a guy game.
16. lawrence christon | 10.25.09
This is an instance of where politics gets jammed in the wrong place. Obama’s basketball sessions are for short aerobic workouts, not schmoozing or networking (nobody converses on court the way they do on a golf course). Those guys play hard. There’s a lot of physical contact and hand-checking. Sometimes people get hurt. Unless it’s a WNBA type, or a female college player alum, I don’t see women competing without slowing the game up (I’ve coached both men and women–there’s a big difference). Plus, what happens if a news anchor or correspondent gets her nose bloodied, or gets her breasts or butt rubbed in what she thinks is the wrong way? Or has to (or not) change with the jocks? Do we have a potential sexual harassment/discrimination case? I think it’s ridiculous to make an issue out of pickup games, though I’ve seen good female players hold their own. If this sounds contradictory, just let ms. Guthrie show up, and see what happens. I doubt if she would, without cameras of course. Which would spoil the fun.
17. skylonda | 10.25.09
Please, is this really a story. Can’t you find one postive thing to write about Obama? Give me a break and get back to reporting issues that matter.
18. ophu | 10.25.09
Hey, if single-gender basketball is good enough for Michael Jordan, it’s good enough for the president. Maybe he didn’t want to risk elbowing Michelle Bachmann in the eye (although I would LOVE to see it).
19. WhatsAllThisThen? | 10.25.09
What next are people going to complain about? The president doesn’t use recycled toilet paper? He prefers boxers over briefs? He cracks his eggs open on the pointy side rather than the flatter side? He prefers paper of plastic?
Leave the man alone with this petty, childish, whining.
20. Alex | 10.25.09
Jimmy Orr should be ashamed of himself for wasting cyber space writing this pointless, stupid article.
“But, shouldn’t the president extend invites to both sexes?”
Umm, no, he shouldn’t. When I play basketball at my gym, I don’t want any girls to play and neither should Obama.
21. Naomi | 10.25.09
This is stupid. Women play sports with women and men play with men typically. Im a woman and I couldnt care less. For the most part unless a woman is an elite athlete men and women have different strengths in sports which leads to unfairness and injury. We are not the same we are two different genders with different talents and ways of performing in sports. Lets celebrate instead of trying to make us all the same. These kinds of conversations are ridiculous and so was her question. She should have focused on things that actually matter.
22. Marc | 10.25.09
This is the most RIDICULOUS article I’ve ever read! The economy is in the tank, banks are failing, soldiers are dying in Iraq and Afghanistan…..and this clueless is concerned about the President’s basketball cronies. NEWS FLASH… Real men don’t play competitive basketball against women. Basketball is a physical sport, the last thing a man wants to worry about is inadvertently hurting a woman on the basketball court.
24. Christiana | 10.25.09
I guess nothing else of any importance is going on at this moment. This is a little overboard.
25. Sandy B | 10.25.09
Ladies, Ladies,
I read that some of you are upset that the President did not invite you to participate in his B-ball game. Please get over it a move on. Where have you see a team from the NBA inviting females to play on their B/ball team. That’s what the WNBA is for. Maybe the first Lady would organize a game for females and you all would be invited. This was not a game for females.
26. Sam What Am | 10.25.09
This is the non-issu-est non-issue I have ever heard of.
There’s about 20-30 females in the USA that would belong on a basketball court with Barack Obama and Reggie Love, and none of them are in Congress.
27. Mdubb | 10.25.09
I don’t even think Limbaugh or Beck could criticize Obama for this basketball game debate.
Obama hooped against female college players when he was on the campaign trail.
I played on a collegiate practice squad where boys played against girls. They really should invite Lisa Leslie, Tina Thompson, Sue Bird, etc for the next game.
28. mfellion | 10.25.09
This is a non story as many posters have pointed out. The reporter is either an idiot or wants to create a phony issue to earn some bucks. We have many important issues that could have been reported and weren’t. What an indictment of American journalism which confirms what I have noticed for years. If you want real stories of important events look at foreign channels in some foreign language. That is where the actual news is getting reported.
29. Eric | 10.26.09
The president can’t even let off some steam from his daily drudgery of being a public servant without this type of criticism? This just goes to show you, Barack Obama is not the problem, but the symptom of the problem.
Dear Mr. President,
If the worst mistake you make in office has anything to do with basketball, or self righteous liberals, or hypocritical republicans, you’ll get my vote next time you run.
Yours Truly,
a conservative
30. Marty | 10.26.09
Why is the Monitor publishing this inane rubbish? I seriously object to this gossipy column, with its constant attack on everything Presidential, even on a very personal level. This is typical of Fox non-news, and not worthy of the standards of the Monitor, “to injure no man…”
However, this does injury to the character of a fine man, a man who is giving his all to this country. President Obama is an outstanding Christian man. You really have to try hard to find something to criticize about him personally; how pathetic to have to write an article criticizing him for not mixing women with men on a basketball team. If he had invited women, you’d criticize that, too, or quote someone who criticized it. Get a life.
33. Marty | 10.26.09
Why is the Monitor publishing this inane rubbish? I seriously object to this gossipy column, with its constant attack on everything Presidential, even on a very personal level. This is typical of Fox non-news, and not worthy of the standards of the Monitor, “to injure no man…”
However, this does injury to the character of a fine man, a man who is giving his all to this country. President Obama is an outstanding Christian man. You really have to try hard to find something to criticize about him personally; how pathetic to have to write an article criticizing him for not mixing women with men on a basketball team. If he had invited women, you’d criticize that, too, or quote someone who criticized it. Get a life.
34. Pat | 10.26.09
It’s a perfect question and a perfect example of the effect of the liberalization of this country. Everybody gets everything without any regard of anything that makes any sense at all. Girls must play with Boys and everyone gets a trophy. Everyone gets mediocre healthcare and no one has to pay for it (except those of us that actually contribute to the economy). The whole world gets to tell us how to run our foreign policy. Let’s ask France what we should do next! Stop playing ball, Obama, and start being our commander-in-chief. Develop and execute a solid plan to make our country safe.
35. nolaf | 10.26.09
How do we know that invitations, as described by the article, were not extended to women BUT were declined by those women? (P.S. I am a woman who loves sports!)
36. Jillymo | 10.26.09
This is so ridiculous …. the right must be running out of things to criticize the President about.
37. Bunkity Bunk | 10.26.09
What a waste of time! Let them play basketball! Stop nitpicking everything!
38. Sandy | 10.26.09
It’s not about basketball. It’s about bonding. It’s about meetings after the game when “those old boys” close ranks and laugh together about their shared experience, while the uninvited of either gender feel marginalized.
It’s that uncomfortable feeling of exclusion the outsider gets during later meetings.
39. Eddie | 10.26.09
Interesting. No one sees this as a networking opportunity? I certainly do, and would if the same situation came up at my workplace.
An awful lot of you sound afraid of women.
40. Jared | 10.26.09
Of all the challenges we’re facing, you’re devoting time to raising awareness of the President’s lack of female basketball teammates? Really?! SNL desperately needs hand out a bit of comic justice to mainstream op. ed. writers and bloggers.
42. kRoberts | 10.26.09
And what is this Crossed out Indonesia for Chicago. We know you for what you are. Hidden Stuff
43. Darnell Clayton | 10.26.09
Seriously, I didn’t even vote for Obama (and probably won’t in 2012) and I think this issue is silly.
You don’t play basketball to “network.” You play to dominate the net!
People need to put down the PC button, and let the man live out his personal life–even if many disagree with his politics.
44. Honora | 10.26.09
I’m a PUMA and will never vote for Obama because he is a cheat and a liar, but can you all really say that you do not see an issue here. If Obama was great at reaching out to women, the people that I am sorry to say actually elected him president, then it would not be an issue. But he can not relate to women at all. His 24 golf games with three invitees, finally had the first woman. 2% of the 52% of the population. There are lots of women that play golf
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Jimmy Orr has worked in politics for the majority of his professional career working for two U.S. Senators, two Governors and one President. Most recently, Orr served as White House Spokesman and Internet Director for President George W. Bush and Special Advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger for Internet Communications.
David Cook is Washington bureau chief of The Christian Science Monitor and host of the Monitor's newsmaker breakfasts. He was the Monitor's editor from 1994 to 2001. Cook is a graduate of Principia College, served in the U.S. Army, was a Bagehot Fellow at Columbia University, and is a member of the Gridiron Club, Washington's oldest journalistic organization.
1. Jordan | 10.25.09
Refresh my memory… where in the country are there mixed gender basketball teams? I don’t recall any in the High School or College leagues I attended… Certainly not in the NBA.