Barack Obama Loves the Hammers

By: Daryl | February 1st, 2008

Barack Obama celebrates a Dean Ashton goal If you’re American, and having trouble picking a candidate to replace George Bush, then the following news may or may not help: Barack Obama (currently in a sort of Presidential Champions League semi-final against Hillary Clinton, with Mitt Romney playing John McCain in the other tie) is a West Ham fan. According to The Telegraph, Obama (pictured, possibly celebrating a Dean Ashton goal) “has been a fan of the Hammers ever since a trip to England five years ago and watches Premier League games whenever his busy schedule allows.”

If this is true (and honestly, who knows?) then I’d love to know how serious he is. How does he feel about last season’s big money takeover? The West Ham he saw five years ago is a pretty different team today. What’s his policy on the third-party ownership? Does he subscribe to Setanta North America, or does he just settle for whatever’s on Fox Soccer Channel?

More importantly, if eventually elected, would this make Barack Obama the first soccer-loving President of the United States? My guess is that he’s not quite that interested. He’s never left a comment here on The Offside for example. But how good would it be if everyone in Washington was told not to disturb President Obama on Saturdays from 10am-noon between the months of August and May?

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Category: World Football

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433

As an Obama supporter, I have to clear the record and say that although Obama may have had, and I stress "may"; nothing is confirmed; may have had a passing interest in West Ham at some point, the guy is brilliant, and must surely be firmly installed in the camp of Arsene Wenger's Arsenal. Someone with the refinement to speak so eloquently would naturally be drawn to the Champagne football of this Arsenal side.

www.wickeddeflection.com
Erinti

Note to Daryl: Please do all of the country’s political commentary for the next ten months. Thank you.

Seconded.
Marco

I'm pretty sure Ralph Nader's a Livorno fan
Laurie

So where the hell was Bertie Bee in 2000?

(For any who don't obsessively watch all of our naughty soccer videos -- and if you don't, why the hell not? -- this is what we're talking about: http://www.theoffside.com/worl...
Brian

@Laurie: Not if Bertie Bee has anything to say about it!
Alan

Presidential tour of South Africa, June 11 - July 11, 2010?
Weston (@wpazzurri)

polotics are a lot easier to understand when put into football terms, it's just you'd think Bush and co. would be relegated by now after all of the match-fixing scandals, or at least fired as manager!
joejoejoe

Illinois resident and US National Jonathan Spector is a back for West Ham so Obama is supporting local soccer by rooting for the Hammers although Obama's interest pre-dates Spector's arrival in Upton Park.
Laurie

And Ralph Nader will be the crazy guy who leaps from the stands naked to run onto the field and block the winning goal.
Tom

He should really be a Fire fan. Next time I see him around Chicago, he'll get a lecture on supporting local soccer.
Daryl

I see a John Edwards vs Mike Huckabee UEFA Cup final.
chris

Normally I wouldn't bring this up because it's not like it really matters, but I'm taking preventive measures - the last thing the offside needs is the wrath of Chuck Norris. Mike Huckabee is still hanging around. Though he may be in denial about being relegated to the UEFA Cup already. (Not that I know a single thing about these elections.)
Laurie

Barack Obama (currently in a sort of Presidential Champions League semi-final against Hillary Clinton, with Mitt Romney playing John McCain in the other tie)

Note to Daryl: Please do all of the country's political commentary for the next ten months. Thank you.