Cubs reach across aisle to woo President Obama

MESA, Ariz. - How would this be for the ultimate in bipartisanship - President Obama liking the Cubs?

The nation's No. 1 White Sox fan will be in Mesa on Wednesday to speak at a high school, and reports have said he may venture to Glendale, Ariz., and visit the Sox' new spring-training facility.

"We've got to get him a Cub hat over there," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said Tuesday. "I'm telling you, we really do. We can sneak Chief Wahoo over."

Pardon Piniella for mixing his mascots. He was referring to Ronnie "Woo Woo" Wickers, a longtime and vocal Cubs fan.

"It would be nice for him to mention the Cubs once in awhile," Piniella said of Obama. "I'm glad. I'm very happy that he's a baseball fan. If he wants to come out here, we'd love to have him. I'm really happy to see that he enjoys baseball, and I'm happy to see that he's a White Sox fan. I really am. Mention the Cubbies once in awhile, too... There are two good teams in Chicago."

Obama has made no bones about his affection for the Sox, and he went so far last year to say the Wrigley Field experience wasn't "serious" about baseball.

That didn't stop Cubs first baseman and Obama supporter Derrek Lee from signing a baseball Tuesday for the president.

"I just signed a baseball for him, so maybe that'll help," Lee said. "I contributed to his campaign, but I don't know him. He's more than welcome. I'm a big fan of President Obama.

"He doesn't have to like the Cubs. It seems like he's a pretty die-hard Sox fan. I don't' think you're going to convert (him) to a Cubs fan."

As far as bipartisanship goes, Lee was realistic.

"That's politics," he said. "You can't be like that in sports."