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White House: Yes ‘It Was Appropriate’ For Obama To Fill Out NCAA Bracket

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» 51 comments

In response to increasing criticism that President Obama should not have spent time appearing on ESPN to make his NCAA college basketball predictions, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney disputed that it was a distraction. Carney said, “yes I do think it was appropriate.”

Carney defended Obama saying, about the position of president, “it’s a hard job, it requires a lot.” Furthermore, Carney said it was a “very brief interview” where Obama was also able to ask Americans to take the time to make donations to charities to help the Japanese.

Although more of a concern than the ten minutes spent being interviewed by ESPN might be the fact that during the interview, Obama reveals his intense interest in college basketball and a detailed knowledge of the teams and even their players that rivals the insight of the ESPN analyst who interviewed him. Some might begin to wonder when was the last time the President came across this passionate about a political issue?

Watch the clip from C-SPAN below:

(h/t Real Clear Politics)

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  • skyfet

    No it wasn’t, and there are more pressing issue than filling out a ball game stuff.

  • Ricia

    “Carney defended Obama saying, about the position of president, “it’s a hard job, it requires a lot.” ”

    Then show up and do it for Chrissake!!!

  • Cecelia

    Press Secretary Jay Carney disputed that it was a distraction. Carney said, “yes I do think it was appropriate.”

    Colby Hall agrees.

    That Mr. Hall reran a year old video of Chris Matthews being sexist towards a comedienne and mistakenly said it had happened the day before is of no consequence.

    How is a Fox News host ginned-up controversy of a sitting president giving interviews about March Madness in the midst of a nuclear crisis in any way as important and relevant as making a talking head controversy outta last year’s vid?…

    Damn Chris Matthews and FNC!…

  • Thelonious Funk

    Is he allowed to tuck his daughter’s in at night? That’s valuable time.

  • TeaPartyPatriot

    Remember that “undisclosed location” where cheney hid for months and months? Well, that’s where “You Lie!” hussein has been hiding and will remain until he starts his re-election campaign.

    But, I’m not here to insult cheney by comparing “You Lie” to him – there is a far, fart better comparison for “You Lie”:

    Remember how the utterly incompetent, bumbling fool jimmy “the peanut” carter sat in the White House and twiddled his thumbs while Americans were captured and held hostage in iran and interest rates skyrockets to 15% over his failed economic policies? Now think about what’s even more incompetent and bumbling: “You Lie!” hussein, who golfs and parties while America drowns in his debt and deficits and the people of the Middle East scream for help in overthrowing tyrants and creating democracies. “You Lie!” has clearly taken the title from “the peanut” as “The Worst President of Modern America”. Sorry, jimmy, you’ve been demoted to just the SECOND WORST.

  • Atticus Draco

    “White House: Yes ‘It Was Appropriate’ For Obama To Fill Out NCAA Bracket”

    lol
    what are they gonna say,, “NO,, it wasnt appropriate”?
    “My boss sux”
    “We dont like him playing golf all the time either”?

  • Dem4Ever

    Carney, a white man, is giving Obama, a black man, permission to play. How racist is that! I can hardly wait for MSNBC’s liberal mouthpieces to go off on this. Ilve got my Popcorn and Dr. Pepper ready to go. Let the show begin…LOL

  • Cecelia

    Thelonious Funk said:
    Is he allowed to tuck his daughter’s in at night? That’s valuable time.

    Are makeup artists, sound men, secret service, and camera men involved?

  • illusive man

    skyfet said:
    No it wasn’t, and there are more pressing issue than filling out a ball game stuff.

    Looks like someone is going to be ostracized from his drone brethren.

  • CAINtheBULL

    Obama is not paying attention to Japan?

    - Pentagon: There are currently 17,000 sailors and Marines afloat on 14 vessels in waters off Japan. The U.S. military is mainly providing assistance in transport and relief supply missions to the Japanese authoritie s.

    All effort by US in Japan: http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=63185

    Obama is not paying attention to Libya?: Clinton was in Tunisia and Egypt. She met with Libyan rebels.

    chill out people.

  • Davo

    Whitehouse said:
    Yes ‘It Was Appropriate’ For Obama To Fill Out NCAA Bracket

    Whew! Thanks for straightening us out on that. We thought sure that there were more important things threatening us at th moment.

  • Cecelia

    skyfet said:
    No it wasn’t, and there are more pressing issue than filling out a ball game stuff.

    Actually, I’d feel better if it was just about “ball game stuff” in the sense of the president privately letting off steam by taking a moment to play basketball.

    However, a television interview of the president is a calculated political maneuver.

    What a bunch of idiots for aides the poor president has to let him be filmed yakking to ESPN hosts about March Madness in the midst of a nuclear crisis.

    He’s ill-served, indeed.

  • http://www.snowspot.net Snowspot

    Pick your battles Republicans… this isn’t an important issue.

  • http://www.snowspot.net Snowspot

    Davo said:
    Whew! Thanks for straightening us out on that. We thought sure that there were more important things threatening us at th moment.

    IT’s true though, why don’t you get a life? lol.

    “What’s dave doing? Oh he saw the president pick his March Madness bracket, he’s on mediaite posting sarcastic comments about how the president is “worrking Soooooo hard”… Yeah Dave used to be fun, now he just sits in his house angry all day for various non-threatening political issues, he also hates Michelle “just because”"

  • ChrisNH

    What matters is the perception it leaves, and I’m pleased to declare it’s a kick in the ass for Obamo. The cherry on top is if his pick also gets kicked in the ass, which is what I’m hoping.

  • illusive man

    Snowspot said:
    this isn’t an important issue.

    Must protect the precious!, Snowspot LOVE the precious!

  • http://www.snowspot.net Snowspot

    illusive man said:
    Must protect the precious!, Snowspot LOVE the precious!

    I feel like all the hate for Obama is just repressed homosexual urges, would you let Barack be the top?

  • OxyCon

    I don’t envy the Carney spokesperson one bit. He’s got one of the hardest jobs in the country being Pres**ent Obama’s mouth piece.

  • OxyCon

    Thelonious Funk said:
    Is he allowed to tuck his daughter’s in at night? That’s valuable time.

    Not if the Heat are playing the Lakers!

  • writer

    I’d much rather hate someone who doesn’t hold office.

  • Davo

    Snowspot said:
    I feel like all the hate for Obama is just repressed homosexual urges, would you let Barack be the top?

    So, Bozo, instead of calling us “racists” for disagreeing with Hussein and his Marxist Communism, you anti-American Liberals are gonna start calling us “homosexual” ? Now that’s REALLY Dim.

  • illusive man

    Snowspot said:
    I feel like all the hate for Obama is just repressed homosexual urges, would you let Barack be the top?

    Really?, I thought the left’s unquestionable love for Obama was because of repressed homosexual urges.
    And no, Michelle is the only top in that relationship.

  • OxyCon
  • LibertySister

    I dont think in our country history we have seen such a unqualified president. A smooth talking community organizer with no knowledge of economics or private sector and where other world leaders in France and Germany have stated he is way over his head.
    I am pretty sure even most logical democrats see he is out of his league.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Dronetek-Bulk-Vanderhuge/100000918732763 Dronetek

    Don’t you love how the left can turn on a dime? The media’s used to go ape shit over Bush’s recreational activities, now they’re constantly defending president’s activities.

  • ChrisNH

    LibertySister said:
    I dont think in our country history we have seen such a unqualified president. A smooth talking community organizer with no knowledge of economics or private sector and where other world leaders in France and Germany have stated he is way over his head.
    I am pretty sure even most logical democrats see he is out of his league.

    ^^^ This ^^^ (aside from the oxymoron defined by the two words ‘logical democrats’)

  • illusive man

    Dronetek said:
    Don’t you love how the left can turn on a dime? The media’s used to go ape shit over Bush’s recreational activities, now they’re constantly defending president’s activities.

    It is the very definition of hypocrisy, But I don’t think the left get’s that yet.

  • BatBoy

    Jay Carney: “yes I do think it was appropriate.”

    No it wasn’t!

    I kind of feel sorry for Carney having to speak for this “Most got awful president of all time.”

  • RichS

    Snowspot said:
    I feel like all the hate for Obama is just repressed homosexual urges, would you let Barack be the top?

    Seems that you usually think of his color when you think about our President, snowspot, but now you seem to be developing a gay crush on him. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

  • Paul G

    just ANOTHER article to highlight the left/lib hyprocisy..”There’s none so blind…”
    If ANY of you libs want to ‘quote’ me…have at it. It’s not Palins fault, it not Bush’s fault..it’s not the man in the moons fault…IT’S OBAMAS!! and REALLY?, if you lefty libs are this idealogically blind too see what’s happening before your very eyes…jeeezzz…I mean it’s fun and all to be a ‘devil on the shoulder’ but…

  • Paul G

    I mean seriously..I know this is about the NCAA basketball…BUT THIS IS ABOUT NCAA BASKETBALL!!
    ROME IS BURNING AND WE HAVE PEOPLE APOLOGIZING ABOUT NERO FIDDLEING!!

  • Liberal Tormentor

    Actually, I thought this was the best part of the presser:

    JAKE TAPPER, ABC NEWS: “What is going on over there right now? We have not heard the latest information from the NRC or the Japanese government and apparently there has been something that has happened in the last few hours.”

    CARNEY, WH Press Secretary: “Well, it is clearly a crisis. There is clearly –”

    TAPPER: “– what is specifically going on?”

    CARNEY: “Again, I am standing here at the White House, I think you have reporters in Japan, you have reporters including ones here that could get the technical detailed information on what we know from the NRC, from the Department of Energy –”

    “It’s up to the media, not the government?” Tapper asked in response to Carney dismissing his question.

    “No, no I just referred to government agencies that can provide technical information…” Carney responded.

    Imagining if a Bush spokesman had pulled that what the reaction would be.

  • OxyCon

    illusive man said:
    It is the very definition of hypocrisy, But I don’t think the left get’s that yet.

    You mean like grandstanding about civility and then two months later threatening elected officials and their families with death?

  • OxyCon

    Paul G said:
    I mean seriously..I know this is about the NCAA basketball…BUT THIS IS ABOUT NCAA BASKETBALL!!
    ROME IS BURNING AND WE HAVE PEOPLE APOLOGIZING ABOUT NERO FIDDLEING!!

    http://sweasel.com/archives/7908

  • OxyCon

    Liberal Tormentor said:
    Actually, I thought this was the best part of the presser:

    JAKE TAPPER, ABC NEWS: “What is going on over there right now? We have not heard the latest information from the NRC or the Japanese government and apparently there has been something that has happened in the last few hours.”

    CARNEY, WH Press Secretary: “Well, it is clearly a crisis. There is clearly –”

    TAPPER: “– what is specifically going on?”

    CARNEY: “Again, I am standing here at the White House, I think you have reporters in Japan, you have reporters including ones here that could get the technical detailed information on what we know from the NRC, from the Department of Energy –”

    “It’s up to the media, not the government?” Tapper asked in response to Carney dismissing his question.

    “No, no I just referred to government agencies that can provide technical information…” Carney responded.

    Imagining if a Bush spokesman had pulled that what the reaction would be.

    Take it easy on the White House Carney…he just got confused and forgot whether or not he was a member of the Obama loving media or an official member of the Obama press staff, which is understandable because both jobs have the same job description.

  • Paul G

    OxyCon said:
    http://sweasel.com/archives/7908

    Seriously though!! THE leader of the ‘free world’..and REALLY? the media is REALLY covering THIS? LIBYA?! JAPAN?! THE WHOLE ARAB WORLD?! $100 OIL?…ETC..ETC and THIS is a story???
    YOU LIBS out there…there is right and wrong…you guys(libs) think this is right?

  • illusive man

    OxyCon said:
    You mean like grandstanding about civility and then two months later threatening elected officials and their families with death?

    Precisely.

  • mbs

    Allahpundit said it better than I could: ” I don’t begrudge him a little lightheartedness or “down time” even during a major crisis, but if he’s going to devote 10 minutes to tournament picks, how about a 10-minute address from the Oval Office presenting the facts about radiation to a public that’s increasingly jittery about the news? ”

    http://hotair.com/archives/2011/03/16/video-white-house-bracketology/

  • mbs

    Okay, this one is really good too. – “Anxious world looks to White House and wonders: Who’s Obama picking for the Final Four? – If you want to equivocate on world events that have captured the public’s imagination, okay (well, not okay), but can we at least deep-six the lighthearted photo ops until we know for sure that a cesium cloud isn’t headed for Tokyo? ”

    http://hotair.com/archives/2011/03/15/anxious-world-looks-to-white-house-and-wonders-whos-obama-picking-for-the-final-four/

  • The Tea Weasel®

    More importantly, this story has given dissatisfied wingnut bloggers a week’s worth of fodder for the Bitch and Moan Offensive….

  • Paul G

    mbs said:
    Allahpundit said it better than I could: ” I don’t begrudge him a little lightheartedness or “down time” even during a major crisis, but if he’s going to devote 10 minutes to tournament picks, how about a 10-minute address from the Oval Office presenting the facts about radiation to a public that’s increasingly jittery about the news? ”

    http://hotair.com/archives/2011/03/16/video-white-house-bracketology/

    Who was it today that said “does he get any rest?”
    or something like that…give me a min…

  • gar

    With March Madness all around us (Libya, Japan, Budget, Egypt, Wisconsin,Ohio,) it’s nice to see him finally come out aggresively and make a statement about the NCAA pairings and which teams will win.

  • Nacho

    skyfet said:
    No it wasn’t, and there are more pressing issue than filling out a ball game stuff.

    The NCAA Basketball Championships are a huge money maker for everybody involved.

    For the President to take 15 minutes out of his schedule for a press opp., it is not only good for him but for the country to support these college athletics. On top of all of that, he managed to add financial support for our allies in Japan.

  • bigbrainbrad

    BatBoy said:
    Jay Carney: “yes I do think it was appropriate.”

    No it wasn’t!

    I kind of feel sorry for Carney having to speak for this “Most got awful president of all time.”

    Did the right criticize President Nixon for taking time out during war, recession and Watergate to personally design a play to run during the Super Bowl?

    Was The Reagan an elitist for following a sport like yachting?

    Was President George W. Bush criticized for attending baseball games with Bud Selig during wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Let’s not even get started on W’s attendance of the Olympics in China or his hanging with Madden, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones at the MLB All-Star game!

  • http://www.sarainitalyblog.blogspot.com/ sarainitaly

    If the Obama White House doesn’t want to be criticized for “petty” things like the NCAA picks, or vacations, perhaps the only news he generates shouldn’t be about parties, NCAA picks, fundraising and vacations.

  • Cher

    poor Jay Carney explaining why it was totally appropriate for Nero to fiddle.

  • eyemjustsayin

    Jay Carney is not the dynamo press secretary that Obama needs. Who thought he was, anyway? He stammers and stutters, and has a look on his face like he just ate a lemmon. Dump him and get someone who can handle a press conference with confidance, knowledge and a little humor. It ain’t Jay.

  • http://politicallyincorrectlibertarian.wordpress.com PoliticallyIncorrectLibertarian

    Can one liberal here admit that if Bush had done it it would not be ok?

    Restaurant Owner Threatened for ‘No Speak English, No Service’ sign.
    http://libertarians4freedom.blogspot.com/2011/03/restaurant-owner-threatened-for-no.html

  • bitterclinger

    Of course it was perfectly fine that the Anointed One took time to fill out his brackets, and then find time to go on ESPN. I mean, what else could he possibly be doing…. it’s not like he’s the president or anything.

    The guy has for 2 years pushed his duties off on others, allowing them to do all the work and then when the goals are met…. Barry walks in like he has done it all on his own. The guy is not cut out to be president, he needs to go back to his friends Bill Ayers and Jeremiah Wright and start “community organizing” again.

  • Davo

    bigbrainbrad said:
    Was The Reagan an elitist for following a sport like yachting?

    No. But you anti-Americans sure demanded the head of BP’s CEO for going to a yacht race after the oil spill. Just routine two-face, braindead, just normal two-face.

    Well adjusted, rational people understand that there is a time and place for things, including hobbies. The multi-crisis world we are witnessing today requires good-judgement from our leader, and this is neither the time nor the place for frivolity. But Hussein isn’t quite guilty of nor capable of exercising good judgement…………………..he’s just a textbook-driven Marxist ideologue.

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