A first! President Obama actually golfs with a woman!
Another crack in the gender glass ceiling. And just nine months into his first term.
Despite the H1N1 swine flu national emergency he declared Saturday, President Barack Obama went golfing Sunday. And for the first time in the White House, he took a female along on his golf outing. She's Melody Barnes, his chief domestic policy adviser.
Because of Obama's sensitivity to privacy and his athletic skills off the basketball floor (think bumbling bowling in Pennsylvania), there will be no video or photos of the coed sports outing on the course at Washington's Fort Belvoir this afternoon.
But the tireless Lynn Sweet, today's print pool reporter from the Chicago Sun-Times who knows the competitive president well from his Illinois days, confirmed the golfing firstness.
At first she was told by a White House aide that Barnes was not the first female to swing a golf club with the rookie president.
When Sweet asked for the names of the others, the aide corrected himself and confirmed Barnes was the first, though he said Obama had golfed with unidentified women during the campaign.
The sensitivity in the Democrat White House arises from growing grumbling about recent evening basketball contests there with congressmen that were literally with congressmen. No females allowed. And then there was the all-male beer summit.
Golfing like this has historically been a guy thing. In business too. The import of the absence of women is not so much the guys' worry that they'll get thumped by a woman in front of others (although come to think of it.....)
It's the bonding that goes on through the shared competition and stories, some of them suitable for mixed company. And the lead in familiarity that shared social experience gives guys when promotion times come around.
-- Andrew Malcolm
No gender glass ceiling here. Anyone can click and get Twitter alerts of each Ticket item. Or follow us @latimestot Also on Facebook here.
Photo: Associated Press (Barnes with Obama). Jewel Samad / AFP / Getty Images (Barnes enroute to the golf course).
AND HE LEFT HIS WIFE ???
Posted by: yankee | October 25, 2009 at 03:26 PM
While I think it is wonderful, Morning Joe and Savannah Guthrey complained last week that he did not invite a woman to play basketball OR GOLF. So this was not innovative, sadly, but a reaction to the press concern.
Posted by: Michael Bender | October 25, 2009 at 03:41 PM
You shouldn't just state it as if it was a fact that there's something corrupt about not having women at some basketball games. Jeez. Get off the guy's case.
Posted by: Rocky | October 25, 2009 at 03:50 PM
Amazing!!!! Just how lucky are we to have such an amazing character as President?
This accomplishment actually beats all his previous ones. Let's give him another Nobel Prize.
Heil, Dear Leader!
Posted by: myx0mop | October 25, 2009 at 03:55 PM
He swings like a girl. Wait a minute, not like a girl; he swings like a very uncoordinated girl - so - he's playing with a peer. That's very cool. I'm sure the very cool newspapers are covering this very important event. Meanwhile the world is falling apart!
Posted by: Bob D | October 25, 2009 at 03:59 PM
I know a liberal rag wont post this comment but I am astonished that with all of the worlds troubles, our troops dying in Iraq and Afghanistan, the economy in worse shape than ever, unemployment at an all time high, the country has been divided worse than since the civil war. That this advertising arm of the obamma administration has the audacity to run a column like this... where are the real issues, where is the coverage of the screeching Sheehans to get out of the middle east, where are the people protesting global warming. Has that all been cured, I think not, it has been sugar coated by the leftist media smoothing over politcal system in trouble led by a socialist. Look at the take over of the banks, auto industry, medical, and now he is trying to censure any media that opposes him. My gawd newspeople wake up and stand up for your country! Like I said however I would be surprised if this makes it through censure of the LA Times .. If it does ... thanks...
Posted by: buba | October 25, 2009 at 04:19 PM
yeah, she was his caddy
Posted by: Tom | October 25, 2009 at 05:16 PM
Good for Mr. O! He listened and corrected his actions. Let's hope he continues to catch up on this issue. 35 years ago a lot of business was conducted in clubs that women could not belong to. It had to be made illegal so women could advance in the work place. It's a totally NON trivial issue. Imagine being excluded in this way - day in and day out. The basketball game is just one of the more obvious ways in which people are kept out - but there are zillions of others and they happen in the work place every day. Mr. Obama wouldn't play at a club that didn't admit blacks (if such a thing were still legal!) and he should understand why not playing with professional women colleagues if you play with men is the same sort of thing. Great that he is willing to learn!
Posted by: Nancy | October 25, 2009 at 06:20 PM
Gosh, he actually can make a decision...too bad it's not about something inportant. It'll be refreshing, after the 2012 elections and a new administration is in the White House, to have some adults leading the Country. The only war he's involved in currently is with Fox News! Obviously, he and his Chicago gang haven't a clue on what to do about any of the pressing Global Issues....but golf and B-ball,,,he can handle very well. Let us pray.
Posted by: 2son | October 25, 2009 at 06:24 PM
Thrilling, I'm moved to tears!
Posted by: Big V | October 25, 2009 at 06:28 PM
Gee, a symbolic crumb to appease the grateful female population.
If this had been a racial issue, he wouldn't have declared it "bunk."
Why women support him remains a mystery. Bill Clinton actually did support strong powerful women with a natural ease, and even John McCain was surprisingly an equal opportunity employer, with many high level and better paid female campaign staffers
Posted by: Seriously? | October 25, 2009 at 06:37 PM
What has the GOP got to say about this?
Posted by: Riot5000 | October 25, 2009 at 06:40 PM
Yeah there's nothing like hanging out.. sharing feelings.. telling politically correct jokes. God knows women don't stick together.
Posted by: Chris | October 25, 2009 at 08:08 PM
The MEN who say this isn't an important issue are just too precious for words.
Self-interest really propels the world.
Posted by: XP | October 25, 2009 at 08:17 PM
Gr8!!! As me and my family are starving because he can't get off the golf course long enough to tell Congress to pass the unemployment extension we so desperately need NOW because there are NO JOBS!
Posted by: Cam Darby | October 25, 2009 at 09:07 PM
Given his bowling skills, I suspect Obama should play with the girls.
Posted by: tnhll | October 26, 2009 at 09:21 AM
So did the chick hit from the wussy tees or did she really play with the men?
Posted by: Michael Maier | October 26, 2009 at 09:47 AM
I was an enthusiastic McCain supporter, but I believe this is a non-issue.
Obama's closetst advisor (Valerie Jerrett) is a woman. His cabinet has women; his first Supreme Court appointment was a woman. But he plays golf and basketball with men. Oh, the humanity!
I think less of him for rolling over on this. Ms Barnes' golf bag and clothing looks brand new. Any history of her being a serious golfer, like a membership and official handicap anywhere ??
Posted by: Sam P Jackson | October 26, 2009 at 10:35 AM
So - it was like a "girls Sunday out" ?
Posted by: Al | October 26, 2009 at 03:59 PM
Someone please tell me -- does the Oxford English Dictionary actually categorize "golf" as a verb? I mean, I can't remember how many times I "footballed" or "baseballed" or "basketballed" or "tennised" with people, but I bet it's ZERO.
Posted by: Jim | October 26, 2009 at 04:25 PM