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Lenny on Julia Gillard to remain Prime Minister 3AW don't be such bad losers~! You got it wrong, time to admit your mistakes & accept the judge's decision~! more
Kevin on Julia Gillard to remain Prime Minister So I wonder who Bill Shorten will choose to take over this time labor fails? Oh that's right, he wants the job. Him PM, his ... more
Milton on Julia Gillard to remain Prime Minister God help us all! more
Jay on 1,700 missed calls for Rob Oakeshott Set up a petition online for a return to the polls! This isn't democracy. more
Jay on 1,700 missed calls for Rob Oakeshott Hey, Julia, you said you wouldn't move into the Lodge until elected by the Australian people. Guess this will be the first ... more
mehere on Over-reaction over Rice 'faggot' slur? What a storm in a tea cup, pathetic, Some thin skinned people about out there. Get over it, Political correctness gone ... more
Matt - proudly Un-Australian on Julia Gillard to remain Prime Minister Must be a sad day at 3AW, I hope the station doesn't shut down because all the old white Liberal men there would be so ... more
elaine sullivan on Independents games continue i thought it was australian people who had to vote seems like we dont matter,we should have gone back to the polls to be ... more
Lenny is amused... on Independents games continue Ahhhh... What is that smell in the air? Is that the smell of Liberal fanatics suffering defeat? Again?? Save the whining ... more
Michael, Blackburn on Julia Gillard to remain Prime Minister How many starving children could have been saved or homeless people housed with the amount of money wasted on the ... more
Beverly on Australia headed back to polls? I firmly believe that we should go back to the polls it's not fair we need another electionFrom Beverly , Cheryl , Lorraine, ... more
Karen on Julia Gillard to remain Prime Minister Hey Oakeshott Give Bob his 30 minutes back. more
Anne on Julia Gillard to remain Prime Minister I am disgusted with Windsor and oak whatever I hope they get booted out at the next election more
Bob on Julia Gillard to remain Prime Minister Bloody Oakshot stole 30 minutes of my life and I want it back. Couldn't he just shut the hell up for gods sake. He should ... more
Marriage Guidance Counsellor on Julia Gillard to remain Prime Minister After all this dithering about by the Independents what's the bet we'll be back at the polling booths in next to no time. more
Bea Kay on Julia Gillard to remain Prime Minister So where does the independent Speaker come from? more
col on Julia Gillard to remain Prime Minister DO THE RIGHT THING BY ALL AUSTRALIANS AND GOVERN WELL Oh yeah before i forget Julia Change the Compulsory law we have here ... more
John Boon on Julia Gillard to remain Prime Minister Well done, Julia. The election's over. Now let's all stop campaigning. It's obviously going to be a fragile government ... more
Ray Stewart on 1,700 missed calls for Rob Oakeshott Well as a Lynn voter I didn't vote for labor . 80% of the elrectorate voted against labour. So what job has he been offered? ... more
FStarr on Over-reaction over Rice 'faggot' slur? Context is everything. While it might be ok for gay men and their friends to use these terms in private it is not ok for a ... more

Barack Obama to attend AFL match?

Posted by: Ben Wise | 2 February, 2010 - 10:36 AM

ABOVE: The AFL invite to Barack Obama.

REPORT (Ben Wise): It didn't take long for the AFL and the state government to invite US President Barack Obama to attend an AFL game during his March visit.

Only minutes after Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd confirmed the visit, Victorian Premier John Brumby and AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou told 3AW the President would be more than welcome at a game of 'Aussie Rules'.

The President will be accompanied by First Lady Michelle Obama on his visit.

"He could come down here and see a Collingwood game … we could take him to the Food and Wine Festival and the Grand Prix," Brumby told 3AW Radio.

AFL boss Demtriou told 3AW's Neil Mitchell: "We'd love to him. His Christian name is what we do – we 'Barack'."

Demetriou earmarked the Round One clash between Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs as a potential game for the Obamas to attend.

"If he's coming at the end of March, that game will be at Etihad Stadium, and as I understand Collingwood has an American recruit."

Demetriou also offered an invitation to Obama's kids to attend the AFL's AusKick program during their stay.

The US Ambassador to Australia, Jeffrey Bleich, a long-time friend of President Obama, did not rule out the AFL option.

"He loves his sports. He's a great basketball player, an excellent golfer and pretty handy with anything that has a ball involved," the US Ambassador told 3AW.

"He is going to have a lot of opportunities offered to him here in Australia and he's going to make the most of his time here but I don't think we can predict exactly what he'll do."

The US Ambassador did not reveal the exact dates of President Obama's visit, saying only that it will be 'in the latter half of March'.

Blog comments

If the Yank goes to the Footy, maybe we could introduce him to an important part of Aussie Footy Culture? ... Get him Involved in a 'good old after-the-game Aussie Footy Punch Up!' .... He likes to Win,so side him with Collingwood! "C'mon Barak, are You a Man or a Yank!??"

Mark Tuesday 2 February, 2010 - 6:44 PM