Obama Has His Head in the Game

Poker References Abound

by , Oct 4, 2008 | 3:42 pm

It is no secret that Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama plays poker. The subject was first brought to light in a September 2007 CNN article in which players in Senator Obama’s Illinois Legislature poker game were interviewed.

“By his poker buddies’ accounts, Obama is careful and focused. He’s not easily distracted and doesn’t give away his intentions unless it’s to his advantage. He’s not prone to taking risky chances, preferring to play it safe. But he’s also serious and competitive: when he plays, he plays to win.”

As Obama’s campaign led him to the nomination of his party, poker references popped up here and there, for geeks like me those who were paying attention. In June of 2008, Obama revealed a number of good luck trinkets given to him by supporters that he carried in his pocket, one of which was a poker chip. In July of 2008, Daniel Negreanu and Phil Ivey took a break from the WSOP to attend an L.A. fundraiser for Obama, and Obama recognized the poker pros, as Negreanu discussed in this RawVegas.tv video:

Watch Daniel Negreanu Finds Himself in the 50K HORSE Event After a Meeting with Barack Obama on RawVegas.tv

Most recently, Obama made a little poker reference in his September 26th debate with Senator John McCain when addressing the economy, war, and dealing with the country’s problems, approximately 1:35 into the debate:

“So we have to put all chips in, right there, and nobody is talking about losing this war. What we’re talking about is recognizing the next president has to have a broader strategic vision about all the challenges that we face.”

And in a speech just last week, Obama brought up his own penchant for poker as compared to McCain’s love of craps:

“I read the other day that Senator McCain likes to gamble. He likes to roll those dice. And that’s OK. I enjoy a little friendly game of poker myself every now and then. But one thing I know is this – we can’t afford to gamble on four more years of the same disastrous economic policies we’ve had for the last eight.”


6 Comments to “Obama Has His Head in the Game”


  1. 2$RlP
    says:

    With everything that’s going on in the world right now, it probably sounds kind of silly to say this, but I think anyone who really loves poker must support Obama for president.

    He’s our Ace on the River. He can make sure that favorable legislation is passed.

    If McCain is elected, there will be no more outs.

    And this time, all the chips are in.


  2. Johnny Hughes
    says:

    So, who is smarter a dice player or a poker player? Have you ever walked through a casino? Well…..


  3. California Jen
    says:

    Not sure, Johnny… Can you explain?


  4. Pokerpolitics
    says:

    He can also lead us to a socialist leviathan complete with class warfare and egalitarianism run wild. Enjoy everyone.


  5. DanM
    says:

    ***socialist leviathan complete with class warfare and egalitarianism run wild***

    Seriously … how does that not describe exactly what the Bush Administration has brought us?

    Think we’re already there, dude, so it’s party time!


  6. Pokerpolitics
    says:

    We have class warfare because economic illiterates like Obama get up and say things like “the rich don’t pay enough” and “our tax structure is unfair to the middle class”. Never mind the fact that the top 1% of income earners pay 26% of the income tax and 40% of the total tax.

    But go on blaming everything on Bush, couldn’t have anything to do with the Democrats socialist housing policies which they fought tooth and nail to defend even when the White house proposed new oversight in 2003.

    http://hotair.com/archives/2008/09/29/video-democrats-insist-nothing-wrong-at-fannie-mae-freddie-mac-in-2004/