Obama Attends Non-Existent Soccer Game?
By Cat Corben
Reading the story about President Obama breaking tradition and ditching the presidential press pool over the weekend to watch one of his daughter's soccer games, it appears harmless, right? Not so. It is rather disturbing when you dissect it. So let's do just that. According to the Chicago Sun Times, the press pool was to assemble at 11:30AM.
However, Time reported:
The president left the White House at approximately 9:20 to attend one of his daughter's soccer games at 40th and Chesapeake NW. A pool was hastily called at around 9:35 and drove north at 9:43 to catch the president before the game ended. We didn't make it. The President returned to the White House at 10:17. The pool returned at 10:30. We now return you to your regularly scheduled pool call time.
Seems simple enough. But the story has several problems. The first one is a biggie in that there were no scheduled soccer games for Sidwell Friends April 10, as evidenced here. The second is that the area reported that the game was played at appears to be one of high crime, as documented here and here. Additionally, this is a picture of the field via Google Maps, where Obama went to watch the game.
Another problem is that when the press pool got close to the reported location, they were told that Obama was leaving and to turn around. The press pool complied, but why? Wouldn't they have wanted a photo of him, even leaving the event, to formally document his whereabouts? What's also suspect is the very casual, nothing-to-see-here tone of the Time article.
Something is most definitely wrong. The President of the United States venturing out to a soccer game that didn't exist in a high-crime area. The Politico is also reporting that Obama acknowledged the problem with his actions:
Prior to Obama's bilateral meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Obama told his colleague, "Apparently I caused quite a problem," adding something about his secretary not telling the Secret Service , according to, ironically enough, the pool report.
What's more concerning is that no one can confirm if the Secret Service even accompanied Obama on his adventure. Furthermore, let's look at the elapsed time. If the president left the White House at 9:20AM as reported, according to Mapquest, it takes about sixteen minutes to get from the White House to 40th and Chesapeake NW, bringing his arrival time to the field at 9:36AM or so. But then he would have had to leave the field at the latest at 10:00AM to return to the White House at the documented time of 10:17AM. So he spent about twenty minutes at the game? When did the game end? That time is vague as well.
With all of the technology that people have -- iPhones, Blackberries -- not one person took a photo of Obama? And the press didn't get a shot of him getting into his vehicle? Obama loves the cameras, and this is what he looks like at his daughter's soccer game.
Even three days later, there are still no pictures of the president from Saturday's game. The USA just disarmed to Russia, Poland's president and 95 others were killed hours before, and there were many international leaders in Washington, D.C. for the nuclear summit set to begin on Monday, April 12.
And we shouldn't raise even more questions on his whereabouts? According to the MSM, the answer is yes.
americanthinker.com
Obama leaves WH without press, breaking protocol
Sat Apr 10, 3:27 pm ET
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama quietly breached years of protocol on Saturday morning by leaving the White House without the press with him.
About two hours before reporters were supposed to be in position to leave with the president, Obama left the grounds of the White House. Members of the press were told he was attending one of his daughter's soccer games in northwest Washington, D.C.
The White House press corps traditionally travels with the president anywhere he goes, inside and outside the country, to report on the president's activities for the benefit of informing the public and for historical record.
After Obama left, a press aide hastily gathered members of the media who happened to be at the White House early or working on other matters. They rushed to a van and left the White House to catch up with the president.
Too late. By the time, the press van appeared to arrive at the president's location, the press was told he was already departing. Time to go back to the White House.
Reporters and photographers didn't have a chance to see him or his vehicle to verify his presence at any location.
Although nobody outside the White House or the press may have noticed, Obama broke years of tradition.
The small press "pool" that accompanies the president had been told to gather at the White House at 11:30 a.m. He left about 9:20 a.m.
Asked what happened, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said: "The president decided this morning to attend his daughter's soccer game. The pool was assembled as soon as possible to be there as well."
Obama eventually left the White House again on Saturday for a round of golf. This time, the press was with him.
news.yahoo.com
No big thing here re the press pool, but the "soccer game" story is bogus - there wasn't one. Irresponsible speculation follows:
NYCFiredog
Apr 13, 02:21 AM
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Are there any bath houses in the area? Were there any weird looking Diana Ross impersonators with big ears seen in the area, copping some rock? I think he may be starting to unravel. Even Sarcozcy is publicly questioning his mental health. Look for more of these type of stories in the near future. Any Press hounds on the case yet? I can only wonder what his next press conference will sound like, if he ever has one. Maybe the Press hounds could ask him something about that. Can you see him doing a Capt Queeg, ball bearings frantically rolling in his soft hands, chin jutting out Mussolini like, ranting about his enemies, and those idiots who dare to question him?
.....
airedaletwo
Apr 13, 03:26 AM
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I just checked Sidwell's website in the Athletics section. The only athletic events listed for Saturday 4/10/2010 are:
Apr 10
Crew - Club (Girls) - Baltimore Invitational at Glass Beach
Track & Field - Boys Varsity - Woodward Relays
Time: 8:30am
Track & Field - Girls Varsity - Woodward Relays
Time: 8:30am
Baseball - Varsity at Bullis
Time: 1:30pm
Baseball - Varsity at Bullis
Not one soccer game. If you check the soccer schedule it's all in the fall that goes for Varsity through Girls 7-8B
airedaletwo
Apr 13, 04:08 AM
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If it's not Sidwell since they play soccer in the fall I checked the Washington Area Girls Soccer League and while they do play at the park in question they didn't play that day at that park. Lots of other games at other parks. I couldn't find the AYSO schedule for that area.
....
JanevonMises
Apr 13, 07:45 AM
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He ditches the press lackeys and Lady M, and goes away for about 41 minutes. No soccer game is scheduled, the field is abandoned, the press is told to turn around. Sounds like he had to meet his connection alright. Maybe a little storm blew in from Bolivia, maybe a little local "agriculture".
BTW, you are not allowed to smoke TOBACCO in the White House. Rules don't say anything about anything else.
Where were his kids? |
