Politics and the court

I remember watching the news and seeing Clinton jogging along during his first term. In the 2004 campaign we learned that both Kerry and Bush biked. Bush rode a three or four hundred dollar mountain bike while Kerry was zipping along on a three or four thousand dollar road bike. for folks in the spotlight sports provide an interesting look at the "real" person. there was a great piece in the NYT about Obama's basketball playing. It reflects well on him i think:

At country clubs across the land, politicians network and raise money over rounds of golf, a sport Mr. Obama also plays. But Chicago is a basketball town, and over the years, Mr. Obama’s gymmates have become loyal allies and generous backers.

Mr. Nesbitt, an owner and executive at an airport parking company and chairman of the Chicago Housing Authority’s board of commissioners, helped Mr. Obama get to know Penny Pritzker, who is now his national finance chairwoman.

Arne Duncan, a top Chicago public school official, is helping with Mr. Obama’s education platform.

Mr. Giannoulias met Mr. Obama on the court, and thanks in part to his backing, is now the Illinois state treasurer. Other regular gymmates include the president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health and several investment bankers who were early and energetic fund-raisers.

Were i ever to be a higher profile person, which i don't particularly aspire to be, i wonder how my ultimate frisbee and touch football playing would fair in the court of public opinion? All that aside, it will be lots of fun if as time goes by the folks in my havurah, poker game, football game, etc go on to do big and noteworthy things as we keep our low-stress low-profile communities afoot. I hope to someday comment in the NYT about one of my friends football game in twenty years during a presidential campaign. I'll work out the talking points now.