Barack Obama for Poker

Barack Obama giving his best impression of Phil Hellmuth. [Photo by Flap]

The Associated Press just put a story on the wire about Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama\’s outlook on poker. Not from a legal standpoint — he publicly acknowledges he played for money while on duty as an Illinois state senator, despite laws prohibiting as much — but about his style as a player.

Obama studied the odds carefully, friends say. If he had strong cards, he\’d play. If he didn\’t, he would fold rather than bet good money on the chance the right card would show up when he needed it.

That reputation meant that he often succeeded when he decided to bluff.

\”When Barack stayed in, you pretty much figured he\’s got a good hand,\” said Larry Walsh, a former senator.

More than one lawmaker teased Obama about his careful style of play.

\”I always used to kid him that the only fiscally conservative bone in his body I ever saw was at the poker table with his own money,\” said state Sen. Bill Brady, a Republican from the central Illinois city of Bloomington. \”I said if he would be half as conservative with taxpayer dollars, the state would be a lot better off.\”

Hmm, sounds pretty much like a rock, not to be confused with Iraq.

(Thanks, Venita, for the tip!)