Back in 2010, we — okay, Ian & Peter — created a campaign to get Barack Obama to a Caps game. It seemed like the type of thing a newly-elected president and rising young team would want to get in on. The White House press secretary at the time, Robert Gibbs, responded to RMNB’s pleas. But as we enter 2015, Washington’s Stanley Cup hopes and Obama approval ratings are low. So are the chances we get to see a presidential hockey game. While Obama has attended Wizards, Nationals, Mystics, and college games, he has heretofore ignored hockey in office. RMNB registered these concerns to the highest levels of government.
“I don’t know what the deal is,” Secretary of State John Kerry told RMNB earlier this year.
Recently, Doc Emrick said both the Capitals and Blackhawks, who come from Obama’s hometown of Chicago, are pushing the White House to get Obama to come to the Winter Classic.
Winter Classic play-by-play man Mike Emrick invites President Obama to attend Jan. 1 game between @washcaps and @NHLBlackhawks #CapitalsTalk
— Chuck Gormley (@CharlesAGormley) December 18, 2014
Doc says both the #Caps and #Blackhawks are hopeful Obama comes to the Winter Classic.
— Puck Buddys (@PuckBuddys) December 18, 2014
“It’s just such great theater,” Capitals owner Ted Leonsis told the Chicago Tribune in October. “Hopefully we can get President Obama to come. It’s Chicago, it’s Washington, it’s national television. I’m hoping that we can get President Obama to come to the game.”
One of Leonsis’s players, Eric Fehr, raised the prospect back in June as well.
I wonder if @BarackObama will come watch his two home town teams? RT @TSNBobMcKenzie CHI will be WSH's opponent in the 2015 Winter Classic.
— Eric Fehr (@EricFehr) June 20, 2014
We are sad to report this will not be happening. At 6:11 on Friday night, Air Force One took off bound for Hawaii, kicking off the President’s annual Christmas vacation. Obama will be on the island of Oahu for two weeks, set to return on January 4. According to the White House, the President will have no public events. Seeing as Obama will be nearly 5,000 miles away from Nationals Park on New Year’s Day, the Winter Classic will not be an exception.
