It’s the ultimate pick-up game – President Barack Obama’s Administration versus a congressional delegation.
Tip-off is today around 2 p.m. PST and Democratic congressmen Rick Larsen and Jay Inslee are among those who will be suiting up.
Larsen’s been working to get a game going with the chief executive for some time. At one point he got a list of members with some talent into the hands of White House staff.
This morning, Larsen was looking forward to the opportunity to play ball with the president and made clear he won’t go easy on the nation’s leader.
“I will foul anybody who has an open lane to the basket and who is not on my team,” he said.
Larsen, in a serious moment, said this is a chance for members and the president to blow off a little steam with a little sport, then get back to work.
“Do I want to cover the president?,” Larsen said. “If he’s really bad I want to cover him. If he’s really good, no way. I don’t want to get smoked by the president.”
Here’s the story in today’s edition of Roll Call
Obama to Host White House Basketball Game
By Keith Koffler
President Barack Obama on Thursday evening will take his Congressional lobbying operation to the basketball court, hosting a game of hoops at the White House with some 15 Cabinet secretaries and lawmakers.
The list includes only two Republicans, suggesting either a problem with Obama’s bipartisan outreach effort or a lack of decent court talent within the GOP. The Senate has also failed to produce a player for tonight’s game.
Those who will be suiting up include Reps. Michael Arcuri (D-N.Y.), John Boccieri (D-Ohio), Brad Ellsworth (D-Ind.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Baron Hill (D-Ind.), Jay Inslee (D-Wash.), Frank Kratovil (D-Md.), Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.), John Shimkus (R-Ill.) and Heath Shuler (D-N.C.), as well as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. The game starts at 5 p.m.
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