First Jock of the United States

Obama is fast proving to be quite the Renaissance Man when it comes to physical activity.  Not only is he joining his lovely wife in Copenhagen to lobby for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Chicago,  athletics is a big White House theme.  From the honors he gives to the guests he hosts to how he spends his free time, could our POTUS be dubbed FJOTUS (First Jock of the United States)?

Obama is signing the Arnold Palmer Gold Medal Act today.  While such an honor is nothing new for Palmer (he received the National Sports Award from Clinton and the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Bush), he can certainly talk shop with Obama, a golf-lover in his own right.

Even Presidents have to stretch their groins every now and then (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

 To emphasize his love of the Olympics, POTUS engaged in a little sparring at the White House.  His masterful weilding of a lightsaber warranted respect even from Olympic fencers.

HELLO! You killed my father--prepare to die! (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)

Hezbollah High Five! (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Obama even honored the “sport” of NASCAR by inviting Jimmie Johnson, 2008 winner of the Sprint Cup, to the White House last month.

Pittsburgh is more than just ketchup!

A few months back, The Economist honored Pittsburgh as America’s “most livable city.”  But was the City of Bridges up to the challenge of hosting the G20?  You betcha!

The Obamas kicked things off with a reception at the Phipps Conservatory, followed by a spouses-only dinner held at Tereasa Heinz’s Rosemont Farm.   

"Does my breath smell okay?" (Photo by David Karp)

“Don’t pretend you can’t hear me, Manmohan!” (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

While Obama and his counterparts got down to business, Michelle took the spouses on an art tour of sorts, which included the Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School and the Andy Warhol Museum. 

"That Warhol was a trippy one! "(Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

Miss Manners would approve

FLOTUS welcomed her fellow G20 spouses with a special keepsake by gifting each of the First Ladies with a porcelain tea set, White House honey (from the First Bee Hive, no less!) and a honey vase.

How much would this go for on Ebay? (White House photo)

According to the White House, platinum symbolizes Pittsburgh’s steel industry roots, and the porcelain is made by an Illinois family business. The three-flower bouquet in the saucer consists of a purple violet (IL state flower), a mountain laurel (PA state flower), and a rose (national flower). P/FLOTUS are learning!

"I am so FREAKING tall." (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images North America)

Seeds and Cereal and Wire, Oh my!

As BoL waits for the Steel City’s reaction to our POTUS, this seemed a fitting opportunity to share some of the art POTUS has inspired.  In light of the arts tour FLOTUS is planning, what could be more appropriate?

Seed of Hope (Manick Sorcar)

The Final Argument (Creative Commons scheme)

Breakfast of Champions (Thomas and Alexiev)

Obama art creation (Michael Murphy)

News Flash: Obama’s Black

Our POTUS graced Letterman’s Late Show last night, and had some heavy secrets to share.  When asked whether the fury over his health care plan was fueled by race, President Obama divulged, “I was actually black before the election.”  Other surprising news: Sasha and Malia goofed off all summer, and POTUS and FLOTUS watched Pixar’s “Up” for a date night, 3-d glasses and all. 

The biggest reward of the evening?  An audience member gifted Obama with the heart-shaped potato she brought from Missouri (the same one she brought two years earlier to a Letterman taping). 

This marks Obama’s fifth visit to The Late Show, but the first as president.  While POTUS has been trying to drum up support for his health care plan, he was more succesful in drumming up viewers for Letterman.  His interview  scored Letterman his best ratings in four years and “his second-best season-premiere number since he started on CBS in 1993.”  Just goes to show–anything POTUS touches turns to gold!

Red White & Blue Carpet

Victoria Rowell, of the Young & the Restless, has got love for POTUS….and she’s not afraid to show it. Rowell sported a POTUS themed dress to the Emmy Awards yesterday in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, the dress isn’t getting flattering reviews. But, if Obama dresses can make it on the runway in Paris, then why the heck not in LA!?

Making quite the fashion statement. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Eatin’ Good in the Neighborhood

Apparently a private vegetable garden isn’t enough for the Obama family.  Their need for vitamins A to zinc drew the First Lady to the newly established FRESHFARM Market on Vermont Avenue “by the White House.”  Only a week ago, our FLOTUS reportedly submitted a request to the city for the appropriate road closures, etc.  Usually, such a request takes months/years to be okayed.  Not the case here!

FLOTUS addressed the 300-person crowd, saying “I’ve never seen so many people excited about fruits and vegetables. Yay for vegetables!!!”

"I'm so excited about vegetables THAT I CAN'T CONTAIN MYSELF!!!" (Photo by Win McNamee, Getty Images)

What did the First Lady purchase, you ask?  For a total of $28, she bought: a wheel of organic Camembert, chocolate milk, eggs, Tuscan kale, cherry tomatoes, Asian pears, “patriotic” potatoes (red, blue and German butterball), and hot peppers.

The Cheese Whisperer (Photo by Win McNamee, Getty Images)

At one point, a fellow produce-junkie chided, “Don’t forget the brussel sprouts!,” to which Mrs. Obama replied “I don’t know if the president likes brussel sprouts.”

“Don’t forget the brussel sprouts!” (flanked by Sam Kass, White House Chef, and Adrian Fenty, DC Mayor) (Photo by Win McNamee, Getty Images)

When will FLOTUS start hawking the White House Garden wares?

FLOTUS Arm Wrestles for Olympic Torch

Chicago’s favorite denizen is heading to Copenhagen in hopes of sweet talking folks before the Olympic Committee votes on whether Chicago, Madrid, Tokyo or Rio de Janeiro will play host for the 2016 Summer Games.  Michelle will have some competition though; the King of Spain, Brazil’s President and the Japanese royal family are plannning to do their own schmoozing of the committee.  

BoL is hoping our FLOTUS will flex a little muscle while in Copenhagen, especially in light of the renewed attention to her glorious biceps.  Women’s Health magazine recently interviewed Michelle’s trainer, Cornell McClellan, about how Michelle stays fit.  According to the article, the First Lady “might do one set of 15 to 20 reps each of lunges, bench presses, hip raises, and rows, all without resting–and with short bouts of intense cardio mixed in. …The workouts also feature rope-jumping, kickboxing, and body-weight calisthenics.”  Phew!  BoL is tired from just cutting and pasting that list of activities. 

Got tickets to the gun show? (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Brains and Brawn? What a gal! (Photo by Getty Images)

Ignoring David Brooks’ snarky (jealous?) comment about Michelle putting away “Thunder and Lightning”, who better to advocate on behalf of Chicago’s Olympic dreams?