Obama Basketball Habit: Plays Almost Every Day

WASHINGTON — Barack Obama without a basketball?

His press secretary says there are very few days he doesn't see the commander in chief either handling or dribbling a basketball at some point.

Spokesman Robert Gibbs says playing ball helps Obama get exercise and relieve stress. Gibbs says that when Obama plays, he can think about something different _ even if only for a short time.

Basketball has been a part of Obama's life since he was a kid growing up in Hawaii. A big part of life even today, as Gibbs sees it.

Gibbs spoke on CNN's "State of the Union."

Comments

[StopGlobalWarmingBeVegan]

Obama should practice the Quan Yin Method Meditation, it's much more powerful than basketball, google it up, it'll change your life if you're reading this. :)

[FaaLaveLave]

Frankly, I am sick of hearing about Obama's basketball preoccupation. Having him make his cabinet pick for Secretary of Education so he could have a playmate is very disturbng. Duncan didn't run a really successful public school district in Chicago or O's would have sent their children to public schools, yet he is our "secretary of education".
This from an avid Obama supporter. The man needs to put the needs of the nation ahead of his hobby.

[jesthefaxman]

Why do they have to call it a habit? Habit is almost a pejorative word. Who wrote that? Some hockey player?

[DanniD]

If playing basketball is the worst habit he's going to have during his Presidency, then I'm all for it.

Mr. President, how about an exhibition game with you and some NBA players you want against the guys from And1 in Detroit? ONLY IN DETROIT area though, I can't stress that part enough because I want to be able to see the game in person. *smile*

[RageCage]

Wow. This is good to know. What other pointless information can they base a story on to drive his image up? Does he read old Far Side comics while taking his morning dump?

[Yaxchibonam]

Yes, where does he play? What's the status of the basketball court in the basement? We need to give this perk to the President (besides, the NBA said they'd pay for it!) Is it "shovel ready?"

[BLinCincinnati]

There is no room in the basement. The bowling lanes are in an area to thin to hold a court. Last I heard they were discussing converting the tennis court into a basketball court. Seems that would be the easiest, as the sports club near me has dual use courts that can be used for either.

[girlgeek]

Details please. He plays almost every day???? Where does he play. Who has he been playing with? Have they already made a basketball court in the white house? Or?

[rosal]

Sound mind on sound body, that's our prez

[blurredtruth]

Nice to know, but is this really important to know?

[Mediated]

There can be lot of self doubt when you shoot an air ball or can't get it into the hoop.

[rosal]

Only for insecure people with very low self-steem. That sure is not our prez.

[booboo111]

He's addicted to work, family, and activity. Woe is us!

[XME]

Good. I think his routine of basketball and working out is a big part of his stress relief, and hence our "no drama Obama". I'm very glad that he continues to take the time to do something that's very good for his health and his sanity!

[JulieSA]

I totally agree. I just can't help remembering how the press made fun of Bush's workout routines. Back then it was considered an indulgence, a waste of time.

[Mediated]

Back then? Its seems so long ago....... So excersize for Bush was an indulgence and the press decides excercise worthiness. Do you ever listen to what you say? If Bush played basketball with the economy crashing down around us- you and the press would have moved to impeach Bush- which you would claim would be even worse than waterboarding. How can you live this double standard?

[daedelus]

I thought it was somewhat indulgent that Bush was mountain biking, undisturbed, while the rest of America was under a red alert.

[larry278]

The GOP is getting into basketball too. The GOP uses a football, not the Naismith style round ball; Sen McConnell forgot to tell the GOP that they use the Naismith style round ball in Ky. Have you ever tried to dribble a football? The GOP still thinks that they are setting the rules. I'm waiting to see the GOP stimulus bill too. Dribbling a football & using a 55 gal barrel on top of a telephone pole as goal isn't too swift for the GOP game of bastardball. But hey, the barrel is open at both ends. Mounting the barrel transverse makes the GOP's game harder too. They have learned that the ball goes through the goal though. If the GOP's players & elders watch an NBA game every day the may figure out how to mount the barrell on the phone pole by April, 2010.
You have to hand it to the GOP; they are trying, very trying.

[SonofLiberty1]

Want to play some real BASKETBALL?

Well, I'm going to blow you all away....

Take a look at this:

The President was playing Basketball ON THE MOON before any of us even thought of him...

Don't believe me? Just take a gander at the November 13, 2008 edition of Spaceweather.com...

http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=13&month=11&year=2008

And although it crossed my mind, when I discovered The Basketball Player could be him, I thought it inappropriate to say it..

But I do now.

[sloreader]

As a 50+ person who has played hoops with a core group of 8 to 10 people for more than the last 15 years, I can tell that years of Tuesday/Friday 2 hour lunches at the gym have been worth their weight in gold. The fitness and the friendship have been very rewarding.