Congressman Manny Pacquiao is about to get some quid pro quo from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the Democrat from Nevada.
I’ve learned that, when the Sugar Shane Mosley-Pacquiao May 7 bout press tour comes to Washington, in mid-February, chances are good that promoter Bob Arum’s close pal will payback a campaign favor to Pacman by arranging a White House visit/meeting/photo opp with none other than President Barack Obama.
Pacquiao interrupted his Los Angeles training camp to fly in a private plane to Las Vegas on the weekend before the November elections when the savvy, veteran former amatuer boxer Reid was in a neck and neck race against Tea Party novelty act Sharron Angle.
As arranged by and through lifelong liberal Democrat Arum, Pacquiao hit the stump, appearing at a big Vegas rally where he posed with and spoke on behalf of Reid.
“When Manny Pacquiao is in there fighting,” Reid said at the emotionally-charged rally, “I think he is fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves. And that’s why he weint into public service in his home country…where he is a Congressman!”
“Manny went to bat for Harry in a big way, at the urging of Bob, and now an appreciative Harry can deliver something important to Pacman, a meeting with President Obama.”
Arum and others involved have kept their lips zipped about the presidential meeting which takes on even more meaning given the constant speculation about the popular fight perhaps one day seeking the presidency in the Philippines.
Arum did inform me about 10 days ago that Reid would host Pacquiao and maybe also Mosley at a top DC restaurant during the media road trip but you know Arum’s would love to get his Manny into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue if he and Reid can.
All Arum and his acolytes will admit is that the media blitz for the MGM Grand-hosted bout against between two sure to be Hall Of Famers will begin in Los Angeles on Feb. 10 and then move on to New York, the nation’s capital and end up in San Francisco. (The Bay Area has a sizable Filipino population.)
There’s even more significance to Asians and Asian Americans given the fact that Obama lived in Indonesia, like Pacman’s homeland an archipelago, when he was a child.
I’m a little sketchy on the details but American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. once was supposed to sit down Obama, back when the senator from Illinois was an aspring president but they never got together in Las Vegas.
It’s well known that Obama’s major sporting love is basketball and he plays quite often which is another touchstone he can converse about with hoops mad Megamanny.
Wouldn’t you love to see Manny and the Prez going one on one? Obama has the edge in height but Manny’s got to be quicker and a superior ball handler.
I doubt their busy schedules will permit a game to 21 points or even H-O-R-S-E.
Congressman from Sarangani doing a grip and grin with the Leader of the Free World.
I just hope Mayweather doesn’t renounce his citizenship or become part of the Sarah Palin camp, lol.
Continue reading on Examiner.com: Sen. Harry Reid’s payback: Bringing Congressman Pacquiao to President Obama – National boxing | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/boxing-in-national/sen-harry-reid-s-payback-bringing-congressman-pacquiao-to-president-obama#ixzz1BdZ4PJTt
