Jacketless and surrounded by staffers, Secret Service, and press, Obama stopped by the home of Andy and Melissa Evers in Union Mills, IN, yesterday – the second time the candidate has made a media event out of visiting an Indiana voter’s home.

A farming family, the Evers welcomed the motley crew onto their property while Obama’s multi-bus motorcaded idled on the sleepy country road in front of their farm. About twenty of the Evers’ neighbors and friends came to mingle with the candidate and to discuss issues like the economy and gas prices while the candidate sat at a picnic table in the backyard - press surrounded the otherwise normal conversation.

After about 25 minutes, Obama announced it was time to leave. One of the neighbors wondered if Obama had the time to shoot some hoops with the Evers’ son, 14-year-old Aaron Villicana. Rolling up his sleeves and heading over to the basketball hoop in the driveway, the always competitive candidate said, “We’ll play a quick game of Pig.”

The game – traditionally referred to as Horse – is played by each participant taking a shot. If the shot is made, the challenger attempts to make the same shot. If that person misses, he is awarded a letter. The first one to spell out the name of the animal, in this case Pig, is the loser.

Obama let Aaron shoot first, noting the kid’s “home court advantage.” Aaron missed. Obama took the ball and said, “Let’s see what I got.” Obama missed. “As an older guy, this dimming light is a disadvantage,” he explained as dusk approached.

Aaron held his own against Obama, who just this week played with the UNC Tarheels - the very same team that was in the NCAA playoffs last month. The score was P-I to P- I and remained such for some time as both Aaron and Obama missed shot after shot after shot. Obama joked, “My shot is broke! We are in Indiana – we’re supposed to be making these.” Indiana is, after all, the Hoosier State.

“We want to make it close and add to the drama,” he said with a smile. Of course everybody observing immediately likened the pickup game to the race for the Democratic nomination. With no end in sight it began drizzling. An audio technician from one of the television networks holding a boom mic finally said what everyone watching was thinking. “Come on, Senator, put it to bed.”

“You know, he’s tough,” Obama replied. “He keeps on coming back. He’s like Hillary!” The spectators all laughed and Obama took another shot. Swish. Aaron missed the shot and the victory was Obama’s. Read into this if you want - or don’t.

It’s become somewhat of a primary day tradition for Barack Obama to play basketball on the campaign trail. He’s taken on staffers, Secret Service agents, troops at Fort Bragg, and even reporters – but, save for the time he played for Real Sports, he’s never played for cameras. Until Indiana – aka the Hoosier state with a May 6th primary election.

Yesterday Barack Obama, played a little half court three-on-three with area students who won the chance to play with the candidate by registering voters - and Alison Bales, a 6’ 7” player for the WNBA. The lanky senator known as “Barry O’Bomber” when he played in high school, kept up with his younger teammates and showed at 46, he’s still got game – although at one point the winded senator joked with medics on hand that they might be needed if he dropped.

Several dozen supporters cheered the T-shirted, gum chewing senator every time he made a good play while his traveling press watched from the far set of bleachers. Obama easily scored four baskets, passed, rebounded, and stole the ball from his opponents a couple of times. He did have two turnovers to help his team to an easy 15-5 victory. If only winning the Democratic nomination were that easy.

done

For those wondering - one of his Secret Service agents gave Senator Obama the USMC T-shirt.