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Obama vs. Palin, the Olympics version

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor July 1, 2009 06:37 PM

During the lazy summer doldrums, this would certainly be must-watch TV: a Superstars-style athletics competition between President Obama and former GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

The Alaska governor started the verbal jousting this week, bragging that she could beat the commander-in-chief in a running race, especially on her home turf.

"I betcha I'd have more endurance," the avid runner said in an interview that Runner's World magazine posted on its website Tuesday. "My one claim to fame in my own little internal running circle is a sub-four marathon. It wasn't necessarily a good running time, but it proves I have the endurance within me to at least gut it out and that is something. If you ever talk to my old coaches, they'd tell you, too. What I lacked in physical strength or skill I made up for in determination and endurance. So if it were a long race that required a lot of endurance, I'd win."

Asked whether Obama would lace up his sneakers and take on that challenge, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs replied today, "That's an interesting question....I guess it depends on where they were going to run. Maybe there's a terrain advantage in a place like Alaska. But I will certainly ask him if he's got any free time in his summer to do that."

Alas, Gibbs was apparently speaking in jest. Or was he?

He also threw in a bit of a challenge, himself, with the president's favorite sport -- basketball. "How's her jump shot?" he asked.

Palin, a high school point guard who got the nickname "Barracuda" for her aggressive play, anticipated that in her interview.

"People have asked if I'd ever challenge him to one-on-one because we both love basketball," she said. "But look, he towers over me and I wouldn't be complaining about an unfair advantage there, but maybe I'd do better playing H-O-R-S-E with him than one-on-one."

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This woman needs to go away. Republicans will never get anywhere with nitwits like this running around as their figurehead.

Posted by joe July 1, 09 07:18 PM
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Why are you giving this person free publicity. Ignore her and she'll go away.

Posted by AbeR July 1, 09 07:29 PM
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Anything for a little media attention. She's digging pretty deep though...

Posted by getovrit July 1, 09 07:34 PM
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Sarah will do anything to get President Obama to acknowledge her existence. She keeps trying to bait him by bring him up in every interview even one in runner’s magazine. Apparently, she is quite obsessed with him. Someone needs to inform her that the POTUS has better things to do than trash talk with a JC Penny catalog model want-a-be.

Posted by Melt July 1, 09 07:41 PM
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Physical endurance is certainly important in a runner.

Still, I'd be looking more for innate intelligence, intellectual curiosity, and the ability both delegate and to lead people of different backgrounds in a president.

I'm not thinking Sarah Palin towers over Obama in these. As a matter of fact, it seems like the one-on-one comparison is pretty much a foregone conclusion in Obama's favor...

Posted by sommls July 1, 09 07:47 PM
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I hope he swats this annoying little fly that she is....

Posted by bcmba1989 July 1, 09 07:51 PM
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Obama is a lifelong smoker...of course Palin would beat him. I'd love to see Obama wheezing and coughing as Palin raced by.

Posted by Odumba July 1, 09 08:11 PM
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Seriously?!? This woman will do anything to keep her name in the news cycle. She's the Paris Hilton of politics for sure, famous for nothing besides being famous....

Posted by LOOK AT ME July 1, 09 08:59 PM
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Can somebody please make her go away. anyone who thinks she's a contender for 2012 is a fool. She can't manager her own family or her own PR...how on earth could she manage the nation. Dimwit

Posted by G July 1, 09 09:09 PM
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I love that after everything Palin went through with her party losing and the media unfairly assaulting her she can still keep things light. I know nothing in this article is political in nature but it does show that Palin respects the Commander in Chief and that is a testiment to her integrity.

Posted by Scott from Boston July 1, 09 09:24 PM
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Clever for her to offer, but foolish, if he accepts...

(What does playing "H-O-R-S-E" with her consist of? Would I like that?)

Posted by deltaman July 1, 09 09:27 PM
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oh i thought she wanted to find a look alike, silly me.

Posted by keith douglas July 1, 09 10:12 PM
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Poor Sarah, she is so uncouth. The president has other much more urgent things to do rather than be involved with some hick simpleton.

Posted by Independent Hombre July 1, 09 10:17 PM
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Please stop giving space to Palin. She has had her 15 minutes of fame. Let her take care of her baby for a change.

Posted by SOS July 1, 09 10:23 PM
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Ah, Gov. Palin, if only the only running you'd do would be the kind in sneakers.

Posted by Your cousin Don July 1, 09 10:32 PM
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How about P-I-G-W-I-T-H-L-I-P-S-T-I-C-K?

Posted by goinsick1 July 1, 09 10:49 PM
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Ugh, please stop desperately begging for attention governor; nobody cares.

Posted by Bill July 1, 09 11:25 PM
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gro-bama is not allowed to flap his bat ears or big ugly lying lips during any sporting challenge.

ugly fpos

Posted by bunglejunny July 1, 09 11:32 PM
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Why is Sarah Palin getting national news coverage for anything other than running the state of Alaska? Does anyone care that she is a good runner?

Posted by Bart July 2, 09 01:50 AM
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Palin's challenges to the president strike me like the prating of a twelve-year-old on a play ground.

I think it is time for her to grow up.

Posted by chinawanderer July 2, 09 03:21 AM
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There's something nice about talking about sports, which reminds us of our basic humanity, and some sort of kindness between these two rivals. They couldn't be more opposed to one another in ideology and world-view, but the tone of this whole discussion about competing in a race or a bball game is so much more relaxing and uplifting than the usual personal attacks that seem to come up, particularly around Gov. Palin. Very refreshing, indeed :)

Posted by Matthew Elliott July 2, 09 09:22 AM
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Why is it that Sarah Palin draws such vehement liberal criticism. It seems she strikes a defensive nerve. She must, then, pose a threat in the next cycle, though I am no supporter. I personally think Obama is digging his own grave as we speak.

Posted by J.B. July 2, 09 01:12 PM
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Has anyone seen those Powerthirst vids on Youtube? I see Palin's motive.

Obama's dad is Kenyan
He'll run so fast that everyone will think HE is Kenyan
Then they'll deport him to KENYA
and Palin will be prez

DOOOOOOOOM Don't do it, it's a trap!

Don't do it,

Don'

Posted by Monique July 2, 09 03:18 PM
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I seriously think there's a very good chance for Sarah Palin to be our first female president in the future if she plan to stay in politics.There is too much vicious attack towards her ever since she burst into the national scene when became vp picked for John Mccain but the lady has plenty of defensive techniques and thats so cute of her and very useful in her political career.Sarah Palins moment will come it's just the question of when but the way things are going in these days with the dems in power the long awaited question in many peoples mind of a woman president will soon become a reality.

Posted by skmj July 3, 09 01:37 AM
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Sarah Palin should seize her rightful place as the head (and considering the party's retarded nature) and brain of the Republican Party. I can think of no one (outside of Michelle Bachman) who might lead the party right where it belongs after giving us the Cheney puppeted Bush regime, right down the toilet.

Posted by David Long July 3, 09 12:20 PM
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