Opinion: Obama to Kobe, Lakers fans: Michael Jordan is <em>the</em> greatest!

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Noted Chicagoan and basketballophile Barack Obama appears to be writing off the California vote in 2012, at least the basketball fans around Los Angeles.

In a pre-holiday interview with the Associated Press, Obama was asked who was the better player -- six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan or four-time champion Kobe Bryant?

Without even a moment’s hesitation, the ex-senator from Illinois blurted out, ‘Oh, Michael!’

Then, apparently realizing what he’d just said and the profound impact on any 2012 election, the new president hastened to add: ‘I mean, Kobe’s terrific. Don’t get me wrong. But I haven’t seen anybody match up with Jordan yet.’

Too late.

Obama correctly picked the Los Angeles Lakers to thump the Orlando whatevers in the NBA Finals this year. And he was also right in picking North Carolina to win the NCAA championship this spring.

But then he also picked tax delinquent Tom Daschle as secretary of Health and Human Services.

Now, we’ll see how the left-handed White Sox fan does on the mound at the upcoming All-Star Game in St. Louis.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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