Obama Hosts Pittsburgh Steelers At The White House (PHOTOS)

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AP: President Barack Obama may be a Chicago Bears fan at heart. But at least on Thursday, the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers were his football favorites.

The president celebrated the Steelers' title at a White House ceremony.

"It's no secret that I was pulling for the Steelers during the Super Bowl," Obama said. "That's part of the reason why this is so much fun for me."

The president and the players also spent time meeting with wounded U.S. service members and assembling care packages for troops serving overseas.

The Steelers are "generous with their time for charity and for their communities," Obama said.

Joining the president on the sunny afternoon on the White House lawn were Pennsylvania's two Democratic senators, Bob Casey and Arlen Specter, along with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, whom Obama called "a maniacal Pittsburgh Steeler fan."

During the presidential election, Steelers owner Dan Rooney, a lifelong Republican, campaigned for Obama in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state. In March, Obama named Rooney U.S. ambassador to Ireland.

One Steelers' star didn't make the trip to Washington _ linebacker James Harrison.

Harrison skipped out on the traditional ceremony, just as he did when the Steelers were honored by President George W. Bush at the White House in June 2006.

Harrison's fear of flying may have played a role in his decision, though Harrison joked that the White House isn't in one of Washington's safer areas.

"It's not a good neighborhood over there," Harrison said. "It's a bad neighborhood."

Comments

[DeloresT]

03:58 PM on 05/23/2009

I agree that that 3rd picture is HOT! How can I copy it?

[shakennotstirred]

05:26 PM on 05/22/2009

That no 3 photo is hot!!!!!

[Cakey4814]

12:49 PM on 05/22/2009

Harrison had to come up with the "flying excuse" because Jon Stewart punk'd his first explanation!!

[Cakey4814]

12:45 PM on 05/22/2009

Wow..just wow..nothing President Obama does get past the trolls on HuffPo. I can't believe someone dug up a story on President Obama supposedely making children cry to counter a story about the Steelers going to the WH to celebrate their championship. I knew there were sore losers but this takes the cake and is just pathetic.

[rain33]

12:39 PM on 05/22/2009

nice pictures of the team without arrogant harrison!

[Greenguy25]

11:49 AM on 05/22/2009

I trust everybody in the Steeler nation is hanging their head in embarrassment for the Harrison comments. Money can't buy class (new 50 +million dollar contract) and now we can add social intellegence to that truism.

Before we beat this horse to long consider this, James Harrison is one of long list of superstar linebackers for one of the most repsected teams in the NFL and they are who they are, not because they give intellegent interviews, but because they hand out top shelf beatdowns every Sunday.

Congrats to the team on their hard earned rewards.

http://www.mygreenscene.com

[dontvote4him]

11:58 AM on 05/22/2009

Nobody made a big deal when he didn't see President GWB.
Why all the news about it?
And DC is a poophole.

[davidr73]

12:46 PM on 05/22/2009

"I trust everybody in the Steeler nation is hanging their head in embarrassment for the Harrison comments. Money can't buy class (new 50 +million dollar contract) and now we can add social intellegence to that truism."


not ALL of us. some of us are wondering why this is a "controversy". he doesn't want to go, he didn't want to go last time - what is the big deal?

and how does this show a lack of class on his part?

[FactsOnlyPodium]

11:35 AM on 05/22/2009

Over a hundred children shunned so the Great Obama can hang with millionaire game players.
Yeah, what a man.

[zeezan]

11:51 AM on 05/22/2009

What in the he11 are you talking about?

[Angmorg]

12:16 PM on 05/22/2009

He meets all the champs idiot

[kshawNCvoter]

10:24 AM on 05/22/2009

I think this was a fantastic occasion. Anytime we can help our military and let them know they are not forgotten, i applaud. good job.

Our President looks absolutely stunning in that picture holding the football and water bottle.

[myvotecounted]

11:58 AM on 05/22/2009

i was thinking the same thing...he is gorgeous...

[FactsOnlyPodium]

12:28 PM on 05/22/2009

Oh! Oh! I hope he gets the cover of Teen Beat!

[Jude55807]

09:28 AM on 05/22/2009

Video: President Obama enjoys his new Steelers jersey after making children cry., http://anchorsnews.com/2009/05/president-obama-enjoys-his-new-steelers-jersey-after-making-children-cry/

[kshawNCvoter]

10:21 AM on 05/22/2009

that story has alot of flawed reporting in it. so much info left out its ridiculous. nothing new though media and journalism is flawed so boooooo this link.

[Angmorg]

12:19 PM on 05/22/2009

Some folks just can't stand that we are watching the making of a great president of the people, by the people and for the people.

rag on man-

[Gasparilla]

07:53 AM on 05/22/2009

How does Harrison get to away games?

[sbmulqueen]

08:23 AM on 05/22/2009

good one - a favorite. And why is this coming up now? He never said this in his other asinine comments.

[cdiasmd]

09:07 AM on 05/22/2009

Harrison flys (reluctently) to away games...although the Steelers take a Bus to Cleveland, Cincy and Baltimore (a few hours away by bus). So that leaves 5 games to fly to.

In college his mother would drive him to all away games.

He really doesn't like flying.

[Dadeo]

07:51 AM on 05/22/2009

Let's hope the PENQUINS are the next hockey team to visit the White House.

GO PENS!!

[sasidechick]

08:13 AM on 05/22/2009

will do.

LET'S GO PENS!!

[panurse]

02:35 PM on 05/22/2009

All the way, PENS!

[oscartucker]

09:03 AM on 05/22/2009

Carolina Hurricanes!

[k6007]

09:29 AM on 05/22/2009

Red Wings!

[learnsomething]

02:26 AM on 05/22/2009

Nice pictures.

[mmj200]

01:48 AM on 05/22/2009

Look at the smiles on those tough guys faces...priceless. Mr. President just has that affect on people...

[gino618]

10:54 AM on 05/22/2009

Right - and no other 'tough guys' ever smiled when greeted by, Bush, Clinton, Bush 41, Reagan.... it's all about St. Barack....

Delusional... geez.

[dontvote4him]

12:00 PM on 05/22/2009

Thinking about those 100 dollar per pound steak dinners.

[pthesmith]

12:22 AM on 05/22/2009

And they're assembling care packages fro the troops..... *sigh* That's wonderful. That being said, Harrison's an as*hole. He should have gone to support the troops instead of thinking about his self-importance.

[sasidechick]

08:14 AM on 05/22/2009

In Harrison's defense, I don't think they even knew that they were going to be doing the care packages.

[TchoupitoulasCanal]

11:28 PM on 05/21/2009

Um....can I take Mr. Harrison's place and hang out with the president since he doesn't want to?

[LynndaMaree]

03:02 AM on 05/22/2009

It's not a good neighborhood over there," Harrison said. "It's a bad neighborhood." I'm at a loss for words, this is what Harrison said. I could say more, but I know it would have been censored.

[kapalabhati]

08:22 AM on 05/22/2009

It was a joke; maybe not a good one.