Photo by Hankins.

Ouch. The President was playing some post-Turkey day basketball at Fort McNair yesterday when a player hit him with an elbow to the face. Rey Decerega, the opposing player, turned to take a shot and his elbow hit Obama in the mouth. Decerega works for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. Obama needed 12 stitches, mostly on his lips, following the foul. He was given a local anesthetic for the procedure. 12 stitches sounded like a lot to me, but a spokesperson said the doctor used a smaller filament that requires more stitches but makes them tighter, meaning Obama will have smaller scar.

Obama could be seen holding an ice compress to his face in this Washington Post video where he declined to come out to look at the White House Christmas tree as it arrived yesterday. Heal fast, President.

As far as Presidential accidents, Obama’s ‘bow to the face is much more athletic of an injury than Bush choking on a pretzel, cutting his face, and fainting while watching a football game in 2002.