John McCain, Barack Obama neck-and-neck (in NCAA picks)

The two guys remaining in the presidential race gained a fair amount of press two weeks ago when they made a point of disclosing their picks in the NCAA college basketball tournament (Hillary Clinton did not fill out a bracket sheet -- at least not for public consumption).

So now that the Final Four matchups are upon us, how did Barack Obama and John McCain fare? Pretty well.

Neither foresaw that each of the No. 1 seeds would advance, but both picked three of the top dogs to survive. And that includes their mutual selection to win it all -- the University of North Carolina.

Obama, though, has a chance to edge out McCain for best showing, at least in terms of the remaining games. Along with UNC, he tabbed another team still alive -- UCLA -- to square off in Monday's championship.

McCain chose UNC to play the ultimate game against a No. 4 seed that failed to make it to the final round -- the University of Connecticut (perhaps his thinking was influenced by Sen. Joe Lieberman, who has broken with his Democratic roots to actively promote the presumed Republican presidential nominee).

The one pick by Obama that got left in the dust also was a No. 4 seed -- the University of Pittsburgh (perhaps, in this case, he had an eye on how his choices would play in Pennsylvania as its April 22 primary approaches).

The one No.1 team that Obama disrespected, by the way, was Memphis. On McCain's card, it was UCLA (and here we thought McCain was that rare GOP White House contender with a fondness for California).

-- Don Frederick

                                    Photo credit: Wally Skalij,  Los Angeles Times

Comments

[lordastral]

ummm....yeah.

You know, the one quality in a candidate for the President that is absolutely essential is how well they know college basketball.

After that, then maybe comes economics or military strategy...

[SDGriffy]

lordastral----the fact that obama and mccain filled out brackets show they are human beings, like you and me. I'm sure they spent all of five minutes filling them out and devote the rest of their time to politics. Hillary, however was too busy trying to figure out how she can be better than her husband and drive our country into the ground with her stupid ultra liberal non conformist ideas and ruining healthcare. Someone who fills out brackets=human.

[Moderately Moderate]

You have to love the tags at the bottom -

Democratic Politics Gambling GImmicks
Republican Politics Silliness

:)

[todd]

hahahaha

[Kent Duffy]

Hillary has filed for an extension of her 2008 brackets release date. Of course, if she wins, it will be released immediately.

[The Rodentman]

Professional sports are a colossal waste of time.

(You may be right in the minds of many. This, of course, is collegiate sports.)

Why is this racist still running for the presidency of the United States? If he were a white person he would have been label toxic by the press. To vote for this man is to buy into the ideology of Racist Wright. I do not feel any guilt or responsibility for the plight of black america. This county has bent over backwards to help these people and they have done very little to help themselves. When will black america wake up and see that they are responsible for their plight as a people. 70% of black children born in this country are born out of wedlock. There is a server lack of emphasis on education in the black community. There are too many black children being raised in single parent homes and too many time the father is neither financially or emotionally involved. There is high incarceration rates amoung black males from their teens through their twenties. There is a major drug addiction problem amoung inner city blacks. Gangs are rampant in the inner city. Wright and Obama would have white America believe that it is our fault for all of these problems. The problems that ONLY the black community can solve. The first step to solving the problems is to take personal responsibilty for your actions and stop blaming others for YOUR failings. Why is it that other ethnic groups in this country thrive? Could it possibly be that they have taken personal responsibilty for their lives and the lives of their children. This problem enrages me because I truly believe that anyone one in this country can be successful regardless of race. I know that racism exists. It affects all of the people of this country regardless of color. This problem will always be with us but it should not be an excuse for not trying. If you focus on your abilities and work hard you will succeed in this country. You may think by reading my comment that I am a racist but I am not. I would truly like to see the black community reach the promised land. I love this country and I love its diversity. It is what makes us American. It is Our strength.

[robinia]

Did Hillary have a favorite team for the NCAA tourney? Or is she not enough of an equal to be interested in basketball. I'm sure she'd have picks for the NCAA womens final...not because she likes women's basketball, but she probably likes....I'm not one to talk.

Has anyone ever observed her mannerisms. She looks like Jodie Foster thirty years from now...hello?

[edwina]

Usually people who say sports are a waste of time are a bunch of unattractive, sexually challenged male individuals. Their counterparts are ladies who feel that beauty-pageants are also a colossal waste of time.

I guess one had a lot of time to come to this conclusion, being that they had to sit all by themselves at lunch-time during their high-school years. Pity...really...pity!

By the way, Mr. RODENTMAN, is your mentor Elliot Spitzer? Seems to me that both of you have one thing in common..."ya gotta 'buy' a beautiful woman", for you obviously don't have the goods to attract one.

[lori]

ROBINIA !

Well just because a woman conducts herself, with a sense of leadership, confidence, vigor and speaks her mind does not mean a hill of beans of what you are insinuating. Look at Ellen DeGeneres, Billy Jean King, Martina Navratalova, and Rosie O'Donnell...wait a minute girl, you may have a point.

[Is Charles Manson Obama's next endorser ?]

To ask the question is just about confirming the hard reality.
After Hanoi Jane, Judas Richardson, silly Carter and all
those America bashers and hate pastors one finds that
the lunatic fringe and the poor misguided young leftist
rabble rousers are unanimous in their support for Big
tax and spend policys as promoted by the illusionist junior
senator of Illinois.His precocious peaking will translate in
the biggest fall debacle ever seen in recent history,and
folks will regret not having supported that classy lady
senator from new-york who enjoys world wide respect.
To be respected beats beeing popular....unless you are a
rock-star. The contest is to choose a president not a rock
star.

[simplerep]

To ..IS CHARLES MANSON...blogger;

What big names have endorsed Hillary lately? Monica Lewinsky and Gennifer Flowers? What platforms would they contribute to; the "Cigars R Dangersous" and "Health Care Covers Bleaching Hair" foundations?