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C'mon Mr. President, They're Really, Really Good

Barack The Red from Russian Machine on Vimeo.

Speaking of the Caps, we'd be utterly remiss if we didn't mention the little back-and-forth that reporters had with White House press secretary Robert Gibbs yesterday about exactly why the Prez hasn't sauntered out of his office down to the Verizon Center for a Capitals hockey game. Gibbs, who was fulfilling his end of an Olympic bet with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's spokesman Dmitri Soudas by donning a Canada sweater, was asked if the White House's sudden preoccupation with ice hockey would finally get the Commander-in-Chief to make his way out to a Caps game. What better way to ask than by name-dropping the Barack The Red campaign, whose Facebook group, petition and open letter to Mr. Obama have really started to pick up steam in the last few days?


To his credit, Gibbs deflected a question that he obviously had no certain way to answer with class, telling reporters that he thought the President "would very much enjoy going," and that Obama could "borrow [his] jersey" if he ever decided to take Capitals owner Ted Leonsis up on his open invitation. Granted, if President Obama is just saving up his Caps plans for when the team gets into the playoffs, I suppose it's hard to argue with that. Playoff hockey is kinda the best.

The complete transcript of the exchange with Gibbs after the jump.

Q One more question while you have the U.S.A. sweater on there. I draw your attention to a Web site that's posted a letter to "Barack the Red" -- not what you think it means.

GIBBS: Do I need to get my Canadian jersey back?

Q No. (Laughter.) They write, "These are trying times. Unemployment is in double digits. ... Audacity? Check out number eight, Alexander Ovechkin. Hope? This season has found the Capitals with better postseason prospects than any other year." They plaintively write at the end here, "The Capitals bandwagon is filling up quickly, but we need a leader." (Laughter.) Will the president commit to going to a Washington Capitals game this season?

GIBBS: I can't say --

Q It would be his first hockey game ever, right?

GIBBS: I can't say -- no, I think he's been to -- I'll check and see if he's been to a game in Chicago or not -- less so in Hawaii. I will check on whether he's been to a game before. I don't know whether he'll do that before March 18th, but --

Q He's got a couple extra days now. (Laughter.)

GIBBS: Come on, guys. It's Friday, for God's sakes. (Laughter.)

Look, I think he would very much enjoy going. Obviously the last time he ventured out to a sporting event, Georgetown looked like they did yesterday, not like they did in the previous several weeks. So, look, I know he enjoys going out there. I know that -- I think we've gotten invitations from the owner to go. And I know he'd be -- he can borrow my jersey.

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By Aaron Morrissey in on March 13, 2010 11:47 AM

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