Politicizing basketball ...

[Amelia]

We're reaching "is nothing sacred?" territory.

When the Yankees and the apple pie factories of America start holding rallies for Obama I might do something drastic.

TRENDING: NBA players sign on for ‘Obama Classic’ fundraiser – CNN Political Ticker - CNN.com Blogs

The chances of seeing professional basketball in 2011 are getting smaller, but fans of the sport will have at least one opportunity to watch pro players at work in December - if they're willing to include a donation for President Barack Obama's re-election bid.

 

[bodecea]

Let me see if I can muster up some concern one way or another.
















Nope.

 

[zzzz]

NBA stars are entertainers are they not? Is that any different than other candidates. Look at McCain in the last election.

McCain, who has pulled even with Barack Obama due in part to his very effective attacks on Obama's "celebrity," spent the evening collecting checks from Hollywood stars or people who once might have fit that description. Among those attending: Dean Cain (Superman); James Caan (Godfather I and II, Bottle Rocket); Jon Voight (Midnight Cowboy, Deliverance); Robert Davi (License to Kill); Lou Ferrigno (The Incredible Hulk); Adam Carolla (The Man Show); Lacy Chabert (Party of Five); Angie Harmon (Law & Order); Victoria Jackson (Saturday Night Live); Gerald McRaney (Simon & Simon, Major Dad); Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men); Lorenzo Lamas (The Bold and the Beautiful, Renegade); Kevin Sorbo (Hercules); Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond); George Newbern (Father of the Bride); and Robert Duvall (The Godfather and The Godfather II, Apocalypse Now). The dinner co-chairman was Jerry Bruckheimer, producer of wildly popular television shows such as CSI, Cold Case, and Without a Trace, and films such as Pirates of the Caribbean.

Celebrities for McCain | The Weekly Standard

And it would just be like an all star event, no DEFENSE and a lot of showboating, not real basketball.

 

[Amelia]

I don't care if a yacht load of Hollywood celebrities throw him a gala.

But our national sports are supposed to be for all of us. Dad doesn't get to take his kids to cheer their team on. The vendors who depend on sports fans buying their wares can go bust. But Obama is gonna have a game for people who want to give him money?

That bites.

 

[bodecea]

I don't care if a yacht load of Hollywood celebrities throw him a gala.

But our national sports are supposed to be for all of us. Dad doesn't get to take his kids to cheer their team on. The vendors who depend on sports fans buying their wares can go bust. But Obama is gonna have a game for people who want to give him money?

That bites.

Of course....that's why tickets are so reasonable.

 

[Amelia]

I don't care if a yacht load of Hollywood celebrities throw him a gala.

But our national sports are supposed to be for all of us. Dad doesn't get to take his kids to cheer their team on. The vendors who depend on sports fans buying their wares can go bust. But Obama is gonna have a game for people who want to give him money?

That bites.

Of course....that's why tickets are so reasonable.

Well, whatever social strata the tickets have been available to, they at least used to be nonpartisan. And friends could get together and watch the games on TV and have a break from politics and from anything else serious.

Now what might be the only game of the season is only for well-off Democrats.


A bridge too far.

 

[Bill O'Olberman]

Its a damn pick up game put on by supporters of Obama? You seem to have a problem with the free market(ticket price), athletes/entertainers having opinions and supporting their candidate of choice. Its not only for well-off Democrats, i'm sure Republicans have the ability to attend if they wish to purchase a ticket.

 

[Amelia]

Its a damn pick up game put on by supporters of Obama? You seem to have a problem with the free market(ticket price), athletes/entertainers having opinions and supporting their candidate of choice. Its not only for well-off Democrats, i'm sure Republicans have the ability to attend if they wish to purchase a ticket.

purchase a ticket?

Why would Republicans want to make a donation to Obama's reelection campaign.


It is a campaign event during a time when the rest of the country is deprived of the sport.


Another tone deaf moment by the president.

We really don't have much left to bring us together as a country and Obama just poisoned one of the last venues for nonpolitical good times.

It's sad.







p.s. Would they even have been allowed to play if they hadn't disbanded their union? Just curious how that works.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

I don't care if a yacht load of Hollywood celebrities throw him a gala.

But our national sports are supposed to be for all of us. Dad doesn't get to take his kids to cheer their team on. The vendors who depend on sports fans buying their wares can go bust. But Obama is gonna have a game for people who want to give him money?

That bites.

…and if Obama were a republican you’d think it wonderful.

 

[Amelia]

I don't care if a yacht load of Hollywood celebrities throw him a gala.

But our national sports are supposed to be for all of us. Dad doesn't get to take his kids to cheer their team on. The vendors who depend on sports fans buying their wares can go bust. But Obama is gonna have a game for people who want to give him money?

That bites.

…and if Obama were a republican you’d think it wonderful.

Yeah. Sure.

 

[Bill O'Olberman]

So you dont want to purchase a ticket to see basketball (that you are free to purchase if you so desire) because it will contribute to Obama's campaign. That is your choice as a consumer and I support it. Really you're just trying to manufacture an issue and baselessly criticize Obama. You are completely full of shit.

 

[Amelia]

I don't care if a yacht load of Hollywood celebrities throw him a gala.

But our national sports are supposed to be for all of us. Dad doesn't get to take his kids to cheer their team on. The vendors who depend on sports fans buying their wares can go bust. But Obama is gonna have a game for people who want to give him money?

That bites.

…and if Obama were a republican you’d think it wonderful.

If I were the same party as Obama, I would be embarrassed by his politicization of a national sport in a time when the rest of the nation is being deprived of the sport.

I wouldn't be howling about it because there would be enough other people on the other side howling, but I would be grimacing at my president for doing something so short-sighted.

 

[bodecea]

I don't care if a yacht load of Hollywood celebrities throw him a gala.

But our national sports are supposed to be for all of us. Dad doesn't get to take his kids to cheer their team on. The vendors who depend on sports fans buying their wares can go bust. But Obama is gonna have a game for people who want to give him money?

That bites.

…and if Obama were a republican you’d think it wonderful.

Yeah. Sure.

Yep. Confirmed.

 

[Amelia]

…and if Obama were a republican you’d think it wonderful.

Yeah. Sure.

Yep. Confirmed.

That was sarcasm.

My true answer followed in my next post. I will repeat it here for your benefit:


If I were the same party as Obama, I would be embarrassed by his politicization of a national sport in a time when the rest of the nation is being deprived of the sport.

I wouldn't be howling about it because there would be enough other people on the other side howling, but I would be grimacing at my president for doing something so short-sighted.

 

[Zander]

meh....who gives a shite? I certainly don't.

 

[whitehall]

Professional basketball is a freak show played by 7 ft giants. Raise the basket to 15 ft which would be the equivilant of "normal" people playing the game and see how well they do.

 

[Fl_FreeBird]

For people who whine and moan about the evil rich Obama sure seems to love their money and to hob nob and suck up to them. That's when he is not off golfing or vacationing in the Hamptons while the people of America are suffering.

But then who is surprised. He always was a two face hypocrite when it comes to class warfare.

And to think these "filthy rich" basketball 1%er's are on strike for "their own fair share". Now that is comical. But then I would NEVER pay to see a bunch of spoiled professional multi millionaires play sports when I could watch college kids play their heart out for the glory.

I don't suppose there is any chance the Occutards will show up to protest this campaign orgy with Obama sucking up to the rich.

 

[ladyliberal]

Obama is hardly politicizing the nonpolitical. At worst, he is politicizing something slightly more. Sports figures have long campaigned for candidates, raising funds, cutting ads, and giving speeches. I don't have a comprehensive list, but

- Jackie Robinson campaigned for, and later against Nixon

- "Magic" Johnson campaigned for Hillary Clinton in the primary battle against Obama

- Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson cut a tape endorsing Bill Bradley, himself a former NBA player, over Gore in 2000

As far as I can tell, the only thing without precedent would be if the NBA itself endorsed Obama. And of course that's not going to happen.

 

[bodecea]

I don't care if a yacht load of Hollywood celebrities throw him a gala.

But our national sports are supposed to be for all of us. Dad doesn't get to take his kids to cheer their team on. The vendors who depend on sports fans buying their wares can go bust. But Obama is gonna have a game for people who want to give him money?

That bites.

…and if Obama were a republican you’d think it wonderful.

If I were the same party as Obama, I would be embarrassed by his politicization of a national sport in a time when the rest of the nation is being deprived of the sport.

I wouldn't be howling about it because there would be enough other people on the other side howling, but I would be grimacing at my president for doing something so short-sighted.

No you wouldn't.

 

[bodecea]

Yeah. Sure.

Yep. Confirmed.

That was sarcasm.

My true answer followed in my next post. I will repeat it here for your benefit:


If I were the same party as Obama, I would be embarrassed by his politicization of a national sport in a time when the rest of the nation is being deprived of the sport.

I wouldn't be howling about it because there would be enough other people on the other side howling, but I would be grimacing at my president for doing something so short-sighted.

No it wasn't...it was you being truthful.