[Vision2020] The Audacity of Hoops

[Kenneth Marcy]

From the Silicon Valley, where probably it will be 54 degrees today, the San 
Jose Mercury News reports on the progress of Obama's recruitment of the 
Presidential pickup basketball team: 

By Frank Davies
Mercury News Washington Bureau
Article Launched: 12/22/2008 12:00:00 AM PST

http://tinyurl.com/9mwh2e 

WASHINGTON — Team Obama's got game, and that's not trash talk.

Consider this basketball starting five in its prime: a 6-foot-5 shooter who 
played pro ball in Australia; an imposing rebounder in high school and 
college before joining the Marines; the co-captain of his high school team in 
New York; and a star point guard known in high school as "Spo," 
for "Sportin'."

And the fifth player? That would be the 6-foot-1 left-hander with the smooth, 
double-clutch jump shot who boasted that even now at 47, "I can get to the 
rim on anybody." Just call him Barack Obama, the nation's First Hoopster.

To review those other players: The former pro is Arne Duncan, Chicago schools 
chief, dedicated pickup player with Obama and his choice for education 
secretary. The rebounder is James Jones, the next national security adviser; 
the New York player is Eric Holder, attorney general-designate; and the point 
guard is Susan Rice, Obama's choice for U.N. ambassador.

Coming off the bench would be Timothy Geithner, treasury secretary-designate, 
who, like Obama, still plays an aggressive pickup game.

Forget team of rivals. This is a team of ballers.

"I think we are putting together the best basketball-playing Cabinet in 
American history," said Obama, who is known for occasional trash-talking on 
the court.

Obama was quick to point out the non-hoops qualifications of his appointees, 
who have generally received positive, bipartisan reviews. But the common 
thread of basketball among several members of his Cabinet helps Obama make 
the case for his team-player approach to governing.

http://tinyurl.com/9mwh2e 


Ken